Supporting Our Youth Mentoring Policy and Procedure Manual

Toronto Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth

The Toronto Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth is a collaboration of adults, youth, parents, social service providers, educators, professionals, activists and other individuals who have a strong desire to improve the quality of life for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth. Founded in 1991, the Coalition has sponsored a number of different initiatives including:

• focus groups to assess needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth, and gaps in services;
• a poster project designed to increase visibility and enhance access to services;
• "Other Young Lives," a Toronto-based conference about the needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth;
• a forum on poverty in the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities;
• "Other Young Lives II," a province-wide conference;
• a needs assessment/feasibility study focused on the relationships between adults and youth in the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in Toronto;
• Supporting Our Youth Project, a three-year community development project designed to increase the capacity of the adult lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in Toronto to support our youth.

Coalition initiatives have been financially supported by a variety of sources including Ontario Ministry of Health, AIDS Bureau, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Central Toronto Youth Services, Toronto Public Health, and numerous other organizations, businesses, and individuals.

The Toronto Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth is housed at Central Toronto Youth Services at 65 Wellesley Street East, #300, Toronto M4Y 1G7. The Coalition may be reached by telephone at 416.924.4126 ext 456, by fax at 416.924.2930, or by email at hcarolo@actoronto.org. The address for the Coalition web site is www.tclgbty.com/.

Supporting Our Youth separated from the Toronto Coalition for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth in May, 2000. It remains a member of the Coalition.

Supporting Our Youth

Supporting Our Youth Project is a three-year community development project primarily funded by the Trillium Foundation and operated with the support of a significant number of volunteers. The objective of the project is to improve the lives and support systems of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in Toronto through the active involvement of adult communities working together with youth.

The project seeks to enhance the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in four main areas:

• arts and culture
• sports and recreation
• employment and skill training
• access to adult mentoring and supportive housing

Supporting Our Youth: Mentoring and Housing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Transgender Youth is one of the initiatives of the Supporting Our Youth Project. It will run as a pilot project from September, 1999 to April, 2000, when it will be formally evaluated, and a decision made about its future direction. It is located at 65 Wellesley Street East, #300, Toronto M4Y 1G7, and can be reached by telephone at 416.924.4100 ext 247, by fax at 416.924.2930, or by email at mentorhousing@soytoronto.org.

Supporting Our Youth is housed at Central Toronto Youth Services at 65 Wellesley Street East, #300, Toronto M4Y 1G7. Supporting Our Youth may be reached by telephone at 416.924.4100 ext 247, by fax at 416.924.2930, or by email at soy@soytoronto.org. The web site address is www.soytoronto.org.

The development of these on-line resources has been funded by
The Counselling Foundation of Canada