Over three decades of activism
Advocates for Youth has worked with LGBTQ young people for over three decades, including founding the first online space for LGBTQ youth to help and support one another. Now, we work with schools and youth serving professionals around the country to ensure LGBTQ youth are safe in schools; included in sex education lessons; and above all, celebrated for who they are.
“Knowing that there are voices that are silenced and need a platform keeps me motivated to continue the work.”
– Rikki, YouthResource
YouthResource
Through YouthResource, Advocates recruits, trains and supports a cohort of young people passionate about LGBTQ health and rights.
YouthResource is a group of LGBTQ+ youth of color between the ages of 13-24 that are actively involved with a youth-serving community-based organization, a student group or any other organized group. YouthResource leaders are responsible for providing their communities, and communities around the country, with information, resources, and education to address LGBTQ+ health and rights.
The Queer and Gender Equity Project (QGEP)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth of color (YOC) generally receive poor quality of care, disingenuous support, and hostile educational environments due to stigma, lack of youth-serving professionals’ competence, and societal insensitivity. For over 10 years, the Queer and Gender Equity Project (QGEP) has provided support to youth-serving organizations seeking to enhance their support for LGBTQ youth, especially young people of color, via education, policy, research, professional training, and technical assistance. As a result of Advocates’ partnership, many of these organizations created youth leadership councils; adopted LGBTQ-enumerated anti-bullying policies; installed gender-neutral restrooms; normalized pronoun usage; implemented sexual health frameworks; and created safe and supportive environments.
The All Students Count Coalition
The All Students Count Coalition (ASCC) is a network of national, state, and community organizations led by Advocates for Youth. The ASCC encourages state and local education and health agencies to include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression-related questions on their Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS).