Post on 07-Aug-2015
LGBTQ Peer Mentor
Training
Bridgewater State
University
Facilitators:
Agenda 8:45-9:00AM Registration & Light Breakfast
9:00-9:15AM Warm Welcome, Introductions Activity
9:15-10:00AM Why We Are Here
10:00-10:45AM Working Together & Knowing Resources
10:45-11:00AM Break
11:00-11:45AM Tough Topics: Guest Speaker from Counseling Center
11:45-12:15 Wrap Up Q&A
12:15-12:30 Closing Remarks, Surveys
Welcome!
Welcoming Remarks
Introductions Activity
Name & Share: Who Has Been Your Mentor?
Why We Are HereThe purpose of the Peer Mentorship Program is to connect incoming
BSU Students who may identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, pansexual and queer students with ‘out’ LGBTQ and ally upper
class students.
Our goals are to: ● To foster mentoring relationships between new students and current upper class
students that offer support, guidance and resources at Bridgewater State University.● To provide support for students who are “coming out” in the university community or
in their home communities.● To provide support for students who feel that they are currently unable to “come out”● To help answer questions LGBTQ students may have on a variety of topics including,
but not limited to, finding gender neutral facilities, community events, name changes, roommate concerns and addressing bias in and out of the classrooms.
● To create intergenerational links within the University community.● To provide helpful resources to students as they explore issues related to identity.● To provide a safe environment where students can connect to their LGBTQ peers.
Original Pride Flag, 1978
Who?
MentorsMentors are open LGBTQ or Ally BSU students
who volunteer to be a support for new students on campus.
They must be a junior or senior in good academic standing and have a desire to help incoming
students.
What Mentors Do...
• Offer Guidance & Support
• Answer questions about LGBTQ issues
• Be a confidante, resource and role model
• Offer access to “community” networks
• Listen to their mentees
Transgender Pride Flag
Mentors Are Not...
• Therapists
• Offering absolute confidentiality
• A replacement for close, personal friends
• A dating service
• Transportation
• A provider of drugs or alcohol
Why Are Here... Activity!
Part I - What’s Important?
• Write down the 3 most important people to you
• Write down your 3 favorite hobbies or activities
• Write down your biggest accomplishment
Bisexual Triangles
Why Are Here... Activity!
Part II - What’s Important
• Find a partner...someone you do not know so well
• 1 person will have 1 minute to talk to their partner about themselves. The partner does not say anything, just listens. After a minute, switch!
• You CANNOT talk about ANYTHING you wrote down
Why Are Here... Activity!
Part III - What’s Important
• Please share your reflections
• How was it to not talk about what you wrote down?
• How must that feel if the things most important to you were off limits to talk about?
Genderqueer Pride Flag
Working Together & Knowing Your Resources
BSU On Campus Resources
• GLBTA Pride Office – (508)-531-1408
• Center for Multicultural Affairs Office – (508)-531-6166
• Counseling and Health Center Office – (508)-531-1331
• BSU Police Department – (508)-531-1212
Working Together & Knowing Your Resources
Gender-Neutral Areas (Bathrooms, Halls, etc)
Residence Life Department
Counseling & Health Services
LGBTQ Friendly Majors & Minors
Safe Zones
Intersex Pride Flag
Activity!Pressure Pit
• All participants should evenly stand in the hoops (If there are 4 hoops and 16 participants, 4 people should be in each hoop)
• Hoops & Spots cannot move• You must cross the pit via the spot markers to
get to the hoop diagonal from you• Touching the floor sends everyone back• Once a spot is stepped on, it is activated. Once
activated, pressure must remain on the spot or it comes out of the game
• You cannot leave the pit until everyone is in it
Activity!
Pressure Pit
• Did anyone emerge as a leader?
• What was required to be successful in this activity?
• Where there different levels of success?
• What resources did you have?
Asexual Pride Flag
BREAK
“A mentor empowers a person to see a possible future and believe it can be obtained.”
Shawn Hitchcock
Tough Topics
__________ BSU Counseling Center
When to Manage & When to Seek HelpDepression & Anxiety
Self Harm & Suicidal ActionsHarm to Others
Self Care
Ally Flag
Tough Topics
Scenario Breakout Sessions
• Form groups of 3-4
• Practice scenarios
• Come together as group and process
Confidentiality & Paperwork
Confidentiality
• What to keep confidential and why?
• What to share and with whom?
Paper Work and Housekeeping
• Contract (read together out loud)
• Training Certificates and T-shirts
Feather/Drag Pride
Q&A
Questions?
Comments?
Concerns?
Closing Remarks
Announcements: Upcoming Events....
Multi-cultural Affairs Leadership Retreat
Film Series: Out With Dad
Surveys
Pansexual Pride
ResourcesAmerican University Center for Diversity & Inclusion, Spectrum Project: LGBTQ Peer to Peer
Mentoring, http://www.american.edu/ocl/cdi/spectrum.cfm
University of Southern California LGBT Peer Mentoring Program, http://sait.usc.edu/lgbt/signature-programs/lgbt-peer-mentoring-program.aspx
University of California Riverside Peer Connections, http://out.ucr.edu/programs/Pages/PeerConnections.aspx
Yale College Experience Peer Liaison Program, http://yalecollege.yale.edu/student-services/advising/student-advising-programs/peer-liaison-program