Staff Advocate for LGBTQ Clients
Staff Advocates are especially important for LGBTQ clients (and fellow staff-members) who can face barriers and challenges due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression. On this website’s Staff page, we have identified those Fostering Futures’ team members have volunteered to act in this role. We invite you to reach out to one of our Staff Advocates if you have questions or concerns about LGBTQ-related issues within foster care and/or our agency.
Resources on this page
Fostering Futures has collected these referrals from other LGBTQ-friendly resources in the community, however Fostering Futures has not necessarily utilized all of these services directly, and therefore cannot guarantee the quality of services you will receive. We welcome your feedback as it will help us create a strong, high-quality referral base.
ADVANTAGE SAFE TRAVEL GUIDE
Advantage Rent-a-Car has published a blog article on safety concerns for LGBTQ+ people travelling internationally. The article includes tips for avoiding problems, and several links to other resources and publications related to safety for LGBTQ+ travelers.
LGBTQ+ Safe Travel Guide
Affirmations
Provides a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and cultures can find support and unconditional acceptance; and can learn, grow, and have fun.
www.goaffirmations.org
AFFORDABLECOLLEGES.COM
Helps students navigate the growing number of on-campus communities and resources for LGBTQ students. Offers guidance on assessing a school’s support systems for its LGBTQ community, with up-to-date info on:
Scholarships for LGBTQ students
National LGBTQ organizations & resources
Affordable colleges with supportive communities
www.affordablecolleges.com/resources/lgbtq-college-resources/
ALL CHILDREN - ALL FAMILIES PROJECT
Promotes LGBT cultural competency among child welfare agencies through innovative resources including an online agency self-assessment tool; comprehensive staff training, free technical assistance, and more.
www.hrc.org/campaigns/all-children-all-families
ACAF Online Resource Compilation includes the most current resources for child welfare professionals, foster/adoptive parents of LGBTQ youth, LGBTQ youth, and LGBTQ parents:
Recommended reading for Professionals Serving LGBTQ Families & Youth:
Working with LGBTQ Families in Adoption, Child Welfare Information Gateway
Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Foster Care, The Williams Institute
Recommended reading for Foster/Adoptive Parents of LGBTQ Youth
Recommended reading for LGBTQ Youth:
BESTCOLLEGES.COM
Partnering with HigherEducation.com to provide students with direct connections to schools and programs suiting their educational goals. We also host a wide array of free college planning, financial aid, and career resources to help all students get the most from their education and prepare for the world after college. Despite progress in recent years, our current political climate reminds us that LGBTQ students continue to face alienation, harassment, and fear for personal safety. In an effort to help these students, we published the following resources for finding safe, supportive, and affordable colleges:
• College Guide for LGBTQ Students
• College Scholarships for LGBTQ Students
• The Best College for LGBTQ Students in Each State
Drugwatch.com
Offers help for people injured by defective drugs and medical devices; provides information on high-risk medical products and health issues, and helps people take legal action if they’ve been injured. Drugwatch has compiled an LGBTQ+ Comprehensive Health & Well-being Guide with information about health concerns unique to LGBTQ+ people, and additional resources for seeking care.
Equality Michigan
Equality Michigan (EQMI) is Michigan’s statewide LGBTQ political advocacy organization. Formerly the Triangle Foundation, EQMI has been Michigan’s premiere LGBTQ anti-violence and political advocacy organization for over 25 years and counting.
Their website’s primary goal is to connect victims of individual incidents of bias, discrimination, harassment, and violence, including intimate partner violence, to the support, referral, and navigational services they need to achieve justice.
FLORIN-ROEBIG
Providing legal services to those that have been victimized or taken advantage of, at no charge to those who cannot afford a lawyer. Offering a guide for queer folk who feel as though they've been discriminated against, including:
Discrimination in the workplace, healthcare system, social setting, and legal settings.
The laws protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
What to do if you have experienced discrimination.
hOW TO BE A GIRL
A resource for anyone who wants to better understand transgender children and how to parent them. Through their website, blog, podcast and videos, a mother and her transgender daughter explore and share what it is really like to be -- and to raise -- a child whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth.
http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com/
https://gendermom.wordpress.com/
Jim Toy Community Center
A resource center that exists to provide information, education, social events, and advocacy by and for the Queer and Ally community in the Washtenaw County area.
jimtoycenter.org
MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE GUIDE FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS
This comprehensive guide is 100% free and covers LGBTQ statistics, representation, and inclusivity in higher education, tips for finding the right LGBTQ-friendly school, mental health concerns faced by LGBTQ students, and financial aid.
neutral zone
Come hang out, have fun, and support teens that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies. Located at 310 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104.
Riot Youth is a safe and supportive space for teens to build community and connect through social activism. Fridays 4-6 PM
Brave Space Cafe happens weekly in the B-Side and is open to all teens. Mondays 4-6 PM
PrideProm is an annual event offered as an LGBTQ-affirming alternative to traditional prom
Call 734-214-9995 or email info@neutral-zone.org
www.neutral-zone.org/riotyouth
NOMAD SAFETY - LGBTQ TRAVEL GUIDE
Website hosted by an LGBTQ person, sharing their curated list of travel safety content to help educate minority travelers on staying safe and taking necessary precautions. Collections for different minority groups, including LGBTQ, disablied, elderly, etc.
OZONE HOUSE
A safe space where LGBTQ+ youth find help, and a place to be themselves. All Ozone House services are free, voluntary and confidential.
CRISIS LINE (734) 662-2222 — Support and resources for youth and those who care about youth are available:
CALL (734) 662-2222 - any time, day or night
TEXT “Ozone” to (734) 662-2222 M-TH 10am-7pm and Friday 10am-4pm
CHAT click here M-TH 10am-7pm and Friday 10am-4pm.
PrideZone is a social and support group for youth ages 13-20 who identify as LGBTQ+. It is a safe place to socialize, build community, have fun in an open queer space, and access support services. Join us Wednesdays 6-8 PM, at the Ozone House Drop-in Center, 102 N. Hamilton, Ypsilanti, MI. (1 block from bus station)
pridezone@ozonehouse.org
(734) 662-2222
http://ozonehouse.org
PFLAG Ann Arbor
PFLAG is a national, non-profit organization working on the behalf of the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) community and its family members, friends, and allies. The Ann Arbor chapter provides local support and services, including a monthly support group. Call 734-741-0659 or email info@pflagaa.org.
SHANECO JEWELERS
This family-owned business is an inclusive resource for LGBTQ+ couples planning weddings, and their blog article “LGBTQ+ Marriage in the United States“ provides an insightful summary of the history of LGBTQ+ marriage in the US.
https://www.shaneco.com/theloupe/articles-and-news/wedding/lgbtq-marriage-in-the-united-states/
Spectrum CENTER at University of michigan
With sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as our framework, the Spectrum Center is committed to enriching the campus experience and developing students as individuals and as members of communities.
STAND WITH TRANS
The mission of Stand with Trans is to provide the tools needed by transgender youth so they will be empowered, supported and validated as they transition to their authentic life.
THE STUDENT LOAN REPORT
The Student Loan Report offers a variety of financial aid resources, including a guide to options for LGBTQ college students. This guide starts with the FAFSA, and highlights a few prominent scholarship opportunities that are tailored to the LGBTQ community.
studentloans.net/financial-aid-for-lesbian-gay-and-bisexual-students/
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
The University of Denver has developed a resource guide called Supporting Queer Students: A Guide to Normalizing Queer Policy in Schools. This resource is free to the general public and could be shared with school administrators and policy-makers at all levels, K-12 and beyond.
ADDitude magazine
Offers many great resources on parenting children with different learning disabilities. There is a great article, When Children with ADHD Explore Gender Identity: A Guide for Parents, on the intersection of ADHD and Gender Diversity, and the importance of parenting/supporting the gender-identity exploration and development of children and teens.
STUDY.COM
The mission at Study.com is to help make quality education more accessible and easier for everyone. Here you will find their comprehensive College Guide, as well as an in-depth College Scholarship Guide for LGBTQ+ Students.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS
Freelance writer Joanne Davis has conducted research and collected a list of scholarships for LGBTQ students.
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