Free Curriculum Helps Youth Prevent Suicide Among Their LGBTQ Peers

When it comes to preventing suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, one supportive person can make a difference. The Trevor Project wants to encourage young people to become "lifeguards" for one another by giving them the knowledge and techniques they need to help friends in crisis. Educators and youth service providers can request an in-person workshop free-of-charge, or they can visit a no-cost collection of digital resources to create their own personalized trainings.

Here are some of the resources available online:

• Lifeguard workshop video. Easy to access on the workshop's homepage, the three-part video covers a range of topics, including self-care, how to help another young person going through a difficult time, and additional Trevor Project resources.
  
• Curriculum guide. Learn how to create a safe and supportive space within your organization with the Lifeguard curriculum guide (PDF, 2.5KB), which includes a poster activity, ideas for encouraging help-seeking behaviors, and an extensive appendix of resources.
  
• Lesson plans. The Trevor Project makes facilitating your own workshop easy by providing two lesson plans, one for general audiences (PDF, 1.5MB), where most youth may not identify as LGBTQ, and one specifically for LGBTQ audiences (PDF, 1.6MB). Trainers can also prepare by watching a 20-minute webinar before leading their first workshop.
  
• In-person activities. Supplement your workshops with activities that foster empathy and awareness (PDF, 360KB), help youth identify members of their support network (PDF, 438KB), and introduce appropriate topics of conversation about young people's experiences (PDF, 594KB).

The Trevor Project asks users visiting its Lifeguard page to complete a short, optional survey to help the organization know who is using its resources. Youth workers can also use this survey to request new resources and curriculum updates.

More on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health

“Connectedness Is Key to Preventing Suicide Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth”

“Working With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth Who've Experienced Sexual Abuse”

“How to Create a Support Group for LGBTQ Youth”

Publications discussed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth, the Family and Youth Services Bureau, or the Administration for Children and Families.