Kaleidoscope Youth Center offers a number of different cultural diversity trainings that were created by a group of individuals at the Center who were concerned about the risks that gay youth face in the community and local schools.

We offer our trainings with the objective of providing information to dispel myths and stereotypes about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth:

• So that sexual minority and questioning youth feel affirmation and support, instead of isolation and despair;
• To ensure that all youth, school personnel, youth service providers and community members are sensitized to the issues faced by youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender or who are questioning their sexual orientation, and;
• To help create a healthy, safe and supportive environment for all individuals in the Central Ohio area.

The Kaleidoscope Youth Center Speakers Bureau includes youth up to 21 years old who identify as bisexual, lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, or questioning.  They speak to audiences at schools, community organizations, social service agencies, and public events about their life experiences as LGBTQ youth. 

The panelists speak from their hearts. They do not lecture or act as experts on anything other than their own lives. Each speaks only from his or her own experience. Each panelist gives a 3 to 5 minute biography about themselves, and then answer audience questions about their life experience.

Center Staff and Volunteers can also offer more specialized trainings on issues relevant to LGBTQ youth, with goals such as (but not limited to):

• To provide basic awareness of prejudice against sexual minorities.
• To provide basic information on sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
• To provide an awareness of the prejudice against gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender youth.
• To educate how prejudice against sexual minorities impairs the educational performance of all students.
• To furnish parents, teachers and other professionals with some tools and skills to use to reduce prejudice against sexual minority youth and families and to create a safer environment for all youth.

Workshops include relating personal stories, defining specific problems, needs, and stressors facing gay and lesbian youth; developing strategies for the classroom or environment that you are in; and creating a vision for future success.

The presentations can be tailored to meet the goals and time constraints of your organization.

To schedule a presentation, or to obtain more information, contact angie@kaleidoscope.org.