EduCon 2025Empowerment Through Belonging: Elevating LGBTQIA+ Voices in Education
Outcomes: - Describe characteristics of effective LGBTQIA+ Communities of Practice and Affinity Groups. - Identify strategies that support LGBTQIA+ youth and staff to apply to your context.
Join us for an engaging breakout session focused on using Affinity Groups and Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Integration (MTSS-I) based Communities of Practice as a roadmap to support LGBTQIA+ youth and staff in our schools. Fostering equity and mental health support for queer folks benefits everybody. This session will dive into relevant practices and guidance, explore the successes of the Broome-Tioga BOCES Affinity Group and Community of Practice, and share effective strategies for integrating mental health resources.
Through collaborative discussions and activities, participants will learn how to engage staff, families, and youth in meaningful ways, as well as support the unique needs of all stakeholders to address common challenges faced in educational settings. Facilitators and participants will work together to build a supportive community tailored to the specific needs of the group. Utilizing the World Café Structure, participants will engage in rich conversations, contribute their thinking, and create a collaborative rendering of their vision for happy, safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ school community members. This session is not just about strategies—it's about creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Conversational Practice
We plan on using a modified version of “World Café:” each table group will have a guiding question(s) posted on a paper table cloth. During the session, participants will be prompted to respond and doodle to the question, as well as engage in conversations. At the end of the session, participants will engage in a gallery walk to view the other participants’ thinking.
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