ABOUT THE PROGRAM

What is Proud & Empowered?

Proud & Empowered is an intervention designed to help empower LGBTQ+ youth and improve school climate. This program is aimed to promote health and mental health in students who identify as LGBTQ+.

The program consists of two components:

Part 1: 10 weeks of small groups led by students and facilitated by a trained Proud & Empowered team member.
Part 2: Social norms change intervention for the school

The two components can be delivered independently or together, depending on the interest and readiness of the school.

The primary role of the school involves recruiting 8-12 LGBTQ+ students to participate in the intervention once a week for 10 weeks. Intervention sessions may take place during periods throughout the day, in a homeroom period, or a lunch break.

Watch the informational video below, browse our website, and reach out to us if you have questions about how your school can implement the Proud & Empowered intervention.

Download Program Info Sheet

what does participation involve?

If you choose to run the intervention, you will meet with our staff virtually or in person to be trained over approximately 4-6 hours. Small group sessions are run over 10 weeks and are approximately 45 minutes long. You can schedule these sessions at varying times depending on your school or community-based organization schedule and needs.

We generally recommend group sizes of 8-12 students and that you have 1-2 school liaisons trained (they may be teachers, counselors, librarians, GSA leads, etc.). Ongoing technical assistance is available upon request.

Incentives for participation

A limited number of student and teacher incentives, as well as school-based honoraria, are available. Please contact us for more information.

All students who participate will receive up to $75 in gift cards.
The 1-2 school staff who participate will each receive $1,000. Each school that participates will receive a $4,000 honorarium.
Schools can do whatever they want with this money, though we hope it goes to improving LGBTQ+ programming and support at your school.

WHY PARTICIPATE?

LGBTQ+ adolescents are 3 to 4 times more likely to meet criteria for a mental health disorder and 2 to 5 times more likely to meet criteria for behavioral disorders than their heterosexual peers.

Students who participate may learn how to cope with stress, learn resiliency, and connect with supportive students and staff at their school.