1. Presentation to Coalition Planning Table
Making It Better Today: The Simcoe County LGBT Youth Needs Assessment Report
Presentation to Coalition Planning Table
Ligaya Byrch
November 13, 2012

2. Collaborative AIDS Committee of Simcoe County
Byrch Consulting & Associates
Canadian Mental Health Association
Mental Health $ Addictions Services of Simcoe County
Kinark
LGBT YouthLine
O.S.S.T.F. District 17, Human Rights Committee
Rainbow Health Ontario
SMDHU

3. The evaluation process
A total of 157 LGBT youth, allies, service providers and educators participated in online surveys, focus groups and participatory art methods from August 2011 to January 2012
50 community consultation surveys completed
67 LGBT youth completed an online survey
2 youth focus groups
30 participants in a participatory art

4. Community-Based Needs Assessment Model

5. Some key findings from the community consultations
83% of participants identified that they provide a safe space for LGBT youth, however only 4% of the youth who participated identified that they access a community organization for support
58% of participants reported receiving requests for support for youth however, at the time of this survey, the only LGBT specific supports available to youth are GSAs and the LGBT YouthLine
Community organizations made up 38% of the respondents and educational institutions made up 26% of the respondents
58% of respondents provide direct service to youth, while 12% were in management, 18% in coordination roles and 6% responsible for policy development
Only 41% of respondents felt they had adequate training on LGBT issues

6. Some key findings from the youth survey
47% of respondents heard homophobic comments on a daily basis while 32% heard transphobic and negative gender related comments daily
While 75% of youth wanted community-based programs, 70% of youth felt there was a need for community-based programs, 70% of youth also felt there was a need for community-based mental health programs
Social participation opportunities were most important for LGBT youth as 80% of participants requested LGBT dances and 77% would like another GSA conference
51% of participants are dealing with verbal harassment about their LGBT identity
24% of youth have thoughts of ending their life and 33% are dealing with anxiety, depression or self-harm
24% identified substance-use as an issue they are dealing with
Overall, 42% of youth identified that they are struggling with parental and family acceptance
22% of youth who participated identified that spirituality and religion is an issue that they are currently struggling with

7. Some key findings from the LGBT Youth focus groups
Respondents identified themes around safety, support, barriers and experiences of oppression
The interconnection among these themes must be understood in the development of space for LGBT youth
LGBT youth felt that there was a need for both LGBT friendly and LGBT specific services
Differences emerged between youth who had supports in their school environment and those that did not
There was a divide between supported youth who want integration and youth who are unsupported and are seeking more LGBT identity development, validation around their experiences of oppression and an LGBT community that is visible

8. Future Considerations
Adults, just like youth also need access to services including:
LGBT parenting and LGBT parenting options
Supporting school aged children with LGBT parents
Lack of supportive health care providers
Social opportunities and community-building
LGBT positive counselors, mental health workers and social workers

9. 10 Action Steps Acknowledge Understand Collaborate Motivate Encourage
Request
Adopt
Make
Commit
Assist

10. Motion
That the Coalition Planning Table agrees that the needs of LGBT youth and their families is important, and that the Coalition Planning Table support the work of Coalition members by being inclusive of all diverse populations representative of the children, youth and families of Simcoe County including those who identify as LGBT.