Program Overview

Our Pride Youth Program is open to all youth in grades 9-12 who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). It is also open to youth who are questioning their sexual orientation. Pride provides a safe and confidential space for LGBT youth to build community and support each other.

The program meets at three locations each week: Evanston, Northfield, and Palatine. Erschel De Leon, the program director, facilitates the group, and dedicated adult volunteers provide additional support, input, and guidance. Each meeting includes:

• arrival, socializing, homework, reading, etc.
• check-in & peer support
• group discussion or activity

Pride is a place to learn about yourself, connect with other LGBT students, explore your questions, give and receive support, and have a great time!

Group Guidelines

1 - Confidentiality: What is said in group, stays in group. The fact that a person attends the Pride Youth Program is also to be kept confidential. Youth participants, staff, and volunteers are all bound by this guideline. Staff will break confidentiality for only three reasons: if you are in danger of harming yourself, harming someone else, or being physically or sexually abused. In these situations, our utmost concern is your safety and staff will break confidentiality in order to keep you safe.

2 - Respect yourself and others: Avoid doing anything in group that will make you less than your potential. Come to the center clean and sober. Listen to others without engaging in side conversations that are distracting from the person who is talking. Be honest and genuine in your interactions. Clean up after yourself. In other words, be the best you can be.

Getting Started

The best way to start is to get in touch with Erschel. You can email her or give her a call at 847.441.6191 x3. You can join the group at any time, so don't hesitate to contact her.

Discussion topics

The list of discussion topics can cover anything that's on your mind! Youth participants often generate ideas for focused discussion topics. Here's just a sampling:

• Coming out to self, to family, to friends, to the community
• HIV prevention, testing, treatment costs, long term effects
• Prevention of other sexually transmitted infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV, genital warts)
• Transgender issues: gender identity, gender norms
• Discrimination within the LGBT community
• Healthy relationships: communication, boundaries, intimacy
• Coping with homophobia at school and in general
• Workplace rights and discrimination
• Hate crimes / laws
• Consent laws

Days and Times

VIDEO

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Pride Youth Participant Survey