2022 Gender Spectrum Professionals' Symposium

This session will build upon research that led to the creation of the report, Expanding the Idea and Practice of Gender Responsive Programs for Contra Costa Juvenile Probation. Ceres Policy Research was hired to conduct an assessment of gender responsive programs for justice involved youth in Contra Costa County, California.  We conducted a literature review, shared intersectional guiding principles, and created a checklist for what a continuum of care needs to include in order to affirm young people's multiple identities--particularly across race, ethnicity, gender identity and gender expression. This report extends our commitment to thinking about youth as whole people who cannot disconnect one aspect of their core selves from another.

This workshop will feature interactive, small group discussions on thornier questions and issues.   Using a combination of presentation and case studies, we will explore the impact of race, ethnicity and class on identity, the unique needs of BIPoC transgender youth, social worker identity in working with adolescents, and more. [Advanced]

This workshop aims to provide an overview of needs, resources, and best practices for supporting gender expansive youth within systems of care with emphasis on optimizing safety and overall wellness. Staff from the Ruth Ellis Center will offer examples of culturally-responsive interventions used at their agency by presenting a collaborative project, behavioral health interventions, and testimonies from youth. 

Having access to supportive resources is a powerful protective factor and has been tied to a number of positive health and wellbeing outcomes for children and youth. Studies document that youth who have strong relationships with caring adults (e.g., family members, teachers and counselors), and are linked to supportive resources and services (e.g., school and community events, youth groups), are more likely to experience healthy adjustment and functioning when compared to youth that lack such support. Conversely, inadequate levels of support are correlated with a host of health- and wellbeing-related concerns such as lower levels of educational achievement, economic vulnerability, socioemotional challenges, and health difficulties.

Providers and caregivers can do a great deal to assist LGBTQ youth in developing and maintaining healthy, supportive relationships, and to connect them to resources that are safe, appropriate, and affirming of who they are. Accordingly, this workshop will provide an overview of a practice tool called an ecomap that has been specifically designed to identify and reflect on the quality and sources of LGBTQ youth’s relationships, the resources and services they are receiving, and any unmet support-related needs they may be experiencing. Explicit attention will be given to the strength and structure of support in relation to youths’ sexuality, gender identity, race, and ethnicity. Participants will have the opportunity to practice using the tool during the workshop using a case scenario. Strategies for engaging in strengths-based, intersectionally grounded, and affirming dialogue with youth will also be discussed.