Queer Youth Community Development

Mission
The Queer Youth Community Development Program (QTCDP) at AIDS Vancouver Island targets at-risk youth, including queer and street youth, in innovative projects designed to influence their ability to make healthier choices. The project addresses safer sex and safer substance use issues, enhances young people’s knowledge and skills as peer educators, and helps address broader issues of stigma and discrimination. All of these approaches are employed to empower youth to make informed choices about their own well-being and to reduce HIV and STI infections.

The Program
Outspeak offers a series of three educational workshops to middle and high school students across Vancouver Island. These workshops incorporate innovative and engaging activities and employ a number of different methodologies including theater, games, and interactive dialogue. These workshops are presented by trained youth facilitators, with an open recruitment period for the project every summer.

In addition to workshops for youth, the QYCDP also provides diversity and awareness training to teachers, school district officials, doctors, nurses, and all manner of other youth service providers across the island. These workshops strive to create safe space for queer youth and adults in schools and offices on Vancouver Island, while effectively educating service providers to increase the quality of their services for queer clients. The QYCDP also facilitates the only drop-in support group for queer youth in the south island. In addition to outreach and support activities, the QYCDP maintains a website to convey important health information to all youth on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Inquiries
Please contact Molly Patton, Queer Youth Community Development Coordinator, at 250.384.2366 ext 106 or molly.patton(at)avi(dot)org with any questions regarding the program.

Funding
The QYCDP is funded by Health Canada under the AIDS Community Action Program.