COLAGE Youth Advisory Board Application
The COLAGE Youth Advisory Board was created in the fall of 2013, to provide more ways for our youth, ages 13-21, to have direct involvement in developing programs and projects within COLAGE. The youth decide together what they need more from COLAGE and our Program Director facilitates that happening. Currently, the YAB has started two projects that both create more community, visibility and a venue for their voices to be amplified.
COLAGE Family is an online safe place for folks 13+ who want to connect with others across the country (and world!) who share the experience of having one or more Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and or Queer parent. COLAGErs use this group to ask questions, share stories, post videos or related articles. In this space, folks who are from all over the country and world, who often don’t have any other ways to access families like theirs, can create community, support each other, and become strong advocates for themselves and their families. Currently we have 121 members and are led by three youth leaders who are part of the Youth Advisory Board.
The Kid Safe Blog is a blog that unites youth who have lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents into an online network of peers. We are eight youth ages 12-17 who have have lesbian, gay, biseuxal, transgender and queer parents from all over the country.
We created this blog to document the struggles, rewards and experiences that come along with having one or more LGBTQ parent, that is so rarely seen in the world at large. It is a way of reminding each other that we are never alone, and there will always be a network of people to turn to. This blog is important because it strives to make a safe place where kids and teens can ask questions about everything related to having an LGBTQ parent. This blog will help youth teach other youth how to be get through bullying and help them stop it. We will be posting our own stories, thoughts and ideas here as well as answering questions submitted by YOU!
Kids and teens should feel at home on this blog; They should feel that they always have a community to talk to. Overall this blog is an online safe haven for the youth in our community.
What We Expect of You
The COLAGE Youth Advisory Board welcomes and embraces all voices of youth ages 13-21 who have one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer parent(s). If you wish to join our board, we expect you to participate with your ideas, dreams and voice, be committed and contribute to the team by turning in projects on time, replying to email within two days and joining our monthly conference calls. We have a yearly celebration in the late summer in Provincetown, MA during our Family Week that we welcome all YAB members to attend.
Please let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to hearing from you!
-COLAGE Youth Advisory Board
Youth Advisory Board Application
Your Name: ______
First Last
Date of Birth: ____/____/____
Preferred Gender Pronouns: He/Him She/her Ze/Hir They/Their Other:______
Current Address:
______
Street Address City State Zip Code
Phone Number: (___)______
Email address(es): ______
The best way to reach me: (indicate by phone, by email, text, etc)______
Are you interested in working on a specific project of the YAB (i.e. KidSafe Blog, COLAGE Facebook Family?) ______
In order to better serve those who are participating in COLAGE programming, we ask that you fill out whatever demographic information you feel comfortable sharing
Ethnicity/Race: ______
Ethnicity/Race of parent/guardian: ______
Ethnicity/Race of parent/guardian: ______
Family Background (Check all that apply)
❑ Transgender parent(s)
❑ Bisexual parent(s)
❑ Queer parent(s)
❑ Gay dad(s)
❑ Lesbian parent(s)
❑ Straight parent(s)
❑ Other:
My family was created through...(Check all that apply)
❑ Heterosexual partnership
❑ Adoption
❑ Second parent adoption
❑ Donor insemination
❑ Foster care
❑ Surrogacy
❑ Other:
Why do you want to be a Youth Advisory Board member for COLAGE?
What skills and experience do you have that will benefit COLAGE?
What would you like to gain from joining the YAB?
How did you hear about COLAGE and the YAB?
Do you have any ideas for projects that you would want to work on with the YAB?
Anything else you would like us to know about you?
Thanks so much and we will be in touch shortly! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email our National Program Director, Robin Marquis, at .