Webinars on LGBTQ Family Topics
Adoption/Foster Care
Webinar: Tips for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) People Seeking to Become Foster/Adoptive Parents in New York State
Recorded July 19, 2010
Meeting Description:
In this hour-long webinar Fred Elia, a Child Welfare Trainer/Consultant with over 30 years experience, acquaints participants with the public/private agency process to becoming a foster/adoptive parent and how best to navigate that process. The session explores the parenting possibilities of fostering and/or adopting and helps participants identify LGBTQ-welcoming agencies. Attendees will also gain an understanding of the criteria for selection, and the steps in New York State’s certification process.
Background:
The New York child welfare system is in constant need of foster/adoptive families for the approximately 23,000 children in its care. More than ever, members of the LGBTQ communities are taking their places as temporary or permanent parents to some of these children and youth.
Meeting Sponsor:
The Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project, headquartered in Binghamton, is dedicated to helping LGBTQ people in upstate New York achieve their goals of building and sustaining healthy families. Pride and Joy, its network of LGBTQ-led families, provides support, educational programs, and a sense of community to the adults and children in these families.
Listen to/view the webinar now by clicking on this link:
Parenting
Webinar: Gender in LGBTQ Families
Recorded January 18, 2012
In this 1 ½ hour webinar, Arlene (Ari) Istar Lev, Albany-area family therapist, educator and writer, discusses gender in LGBTQ families, including roles within same-sex couples, gender identity, trans parenting, and raising gender-variant children. Ari also address questions such as, ‘How do we assist our children in developing healthy gender identities, whether they are “normative” or variant?’ and ‘How do we, as parents, manage our own angst about our children’s developing sex and gender identities?’”
Listen to/view the webinar now.
Webinar: Talking to Chidren in LGBTQ Families About Their Origins
Recorded March 7, 2012
Presenter Arlene (Ari) Istar Lev, Albany-area family therapist, educator and writer describes how to talk with children about their origins and their inclusion in LGBTQ families as they mature through various stages of life.
Listen to/view webinar now:
Audio Presentation: How to Start a COLAGE Chapter---A special training for those who seek to support children with LGBTQ parents (1 ½ hours recorded November 12, 2009)
Meeting Description:
Parents and other adults who are interested in supporting children with lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ) parents are invited to listen to this 1½ hour audio recording of the telephone conference call, “How to Start a COLAGE Chapter,” from a meeting held on November 12, 2009 and hosted by the Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project.
COLAGE Chapters are local or regionally-based social and support groups that connect children of LGBTQ parents to a community of peers, helping them to become confident leaders who are proud of themselves and their families. Interested young adults with LGBTQ parents are also cordially invited to attend the training. COLAGE is a growing movement of people with LGBTQ parents that is dedicated to creating a safer and more just world for COLAGErs and their families.
Meredith Fenton, then-COLAGE Program Director, discusses the nuts and bolts of launching your own COLAGE chapter. With the audience of upstate New York residents, the conversation also turns to ways to overcome the special challenges faced by LGBTQ families in smaller cities and rural communities.
Meeting Sponsors:
COLAGE (www.COLAGE.org) is a national movement of children, youth and adults with one or more LGBTQ parents. COLAGE builds community and works for social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education and advocacy. COLAGE is headquartered in San Francisco, CA but offers chapters, events and programs throughout the United States.
The Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project (www.PrideAndJoyFamilies.org) is dedicated to helping LGBTQ people in upstate NY achieve their goals of building and sustaining healthy families. We do this by providing support, advocacy, information, and access to community and sensitive healthcare and services.