Providing Unbiased Services for LGBTQ Youth Project

The collaboration has been able to establish a team of allies and advocates that represent the diverse array of partner organizations on its advisory board, including child welfare, juvenile justice, higher education, and the homeless population . The collaboration ensures that people with these different perspectives are at the table and have an equal voice as they discuss next steps and express their concerns and goals. 

The diverse array of partners has benefited the collaboration as each brings its own skills, perspectives, connections, and expertise. For example, having an academic institution involved has helped to provide a level of credibility that can be beneficial in opening doors with decision-makers, while having grassroots organizations has brought a level of understanding about the realities of LGBTQ youth in the community.

Having strong allies on the advisory committee is important, but the collaboration has also found that it is essential to have allies that help carry out and support the work from inside the system. For example, the collaboration has a strong ally within Multnomah County Juvenile Justice who helped to establish, schedule, and tailor the trainings to ensure that they meet the needs of its juvenile justice system. She was also a strong advocate for getting its director on board and helped navigate the political changes and reorganizations that occurred within the organization. See lessons learned for more information on the impact of having partners undergo reorganization.

One of the key advocates that the collaboration was able to establish was the former director of Multnomah County Juvenile Justice. Through his role, he was able to mandate that all of the staff in the Multnomah County Juvenile Justice Department participate in the training. 

Recognizing how to frame the training objectives so they fit with the missions and mandates of the organizations was essential for the success of the training. For example, the collaboration benefited from being able to adapt the training objectives to reflect the key language and align with the professional development policies of the Multnomah County Juvenile Justice. 

While the collaboration does not actively market its training materials or track page views on its website, all of the training materials including PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and additional resources are available online for free download and use. It also makes its materials available in a binder and in CD format for local organizations and entities interested in the training.