Continuing education resources
Building a More Inclusive Workplace: LGBTQ
Created by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs and Kognito, this is the first LGBTQ Workplace interactive digital training module for local government. This unique conversation simulator educates employees about LGBTQ cultural competency and assists in creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ employees and community members.
If you are a County employee and would like access: contact us at [email protected] for more information.
The GLSEN 2017 National School Climate Survey
The GLSEN 2017 National School Climate Survey is our flagship report on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation’s schools. Our report includes information on LGBTQ middle and high school students’ experiences with discrimination, biased language, and the availability and utility of supportive school resources.
GLSEN Safe Space Toolkit
GLSEN Safe Space Toolkit is designed to help you create a safe space for LGBTQ youth in schools. The Safe Space Kit is GLSEN’s Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ Students. The guide provides concrete strategies that will help you support LGBTQ students, educate about anti-LGBTQ bias, and advocate for changes in your school. The kit not only guides you through assessing your school's climate, policies, and practices, but it also outlines strategies that you may use to advocate for change, including posting a Safe Space Sticker or Safe Space Poster in your classroom or office.
Creating Safe and Welcoming Schools: A Project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation
Creating Safe and Welcoming Schools: A project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is a comprehensive, LGBT-inclusive guide to improving school climate with tools and resources that help school communities embrace family diversity, create gender-inclusive environments, and prevent bias-based bullying and name-calling in K-5 settings.
2018 LGBTQ Youth Report
HRC Foundation and the University of Connecticut released the 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report largest-of-its-kind survey ever of more than 12,000 LGBTQ teenagers across the nation from ages 13 to 17, revealing in distressing detail the persistent challenges so many of them face going about their daily lives at home, at school and in their communities. It found that teenagers are experiencing heartbreaking levels of stress, anxiety, and rejection and overwhelmingly feel unsafe in their school classrooms. LGBTQ youth who participated in the survey also clearly stated that supportive families and inclusive schools are key to their success and well-being.
Stop Bullying: LGBTQ Youth
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and those perceived as LGBTQ are at an increased risk of being bullied. Bullying puts youth at increased risk for depression, suicidal ideation, misuse of drugs and alcohol, and risky sexual behavior, and it can also affect academics. For LGBTQ youth, that risk is even higher. Stop Bullying: LGBTQ Youth is a resource that provides statistics and more information about creating a safe environment for LGBTQ Youth.
Stop Bullying: Build a Safe Environment
Stop Bullying: Build a Safe Environment states that a safe and supportive school climate can help prevent bullying. Safety starts in the classroom. Students should also feel and be safe everywhere on campus—in the cafeteria, in the library, in the restrooms, on the bus, and the playground. Everyone at school can work together to create a climate where bullying is unacceptable. This resource provides information on how to build these safe environments for students.
Gender Spectrum
Gender Spectrum provides an array of services to help youth, families, organizations, and institutions understand and address concepts of Gender identity and Gender expression, including how societal, cultural, organizational, and community definitions of gender can be detrimental to any young person that does not fit neatly into these categories.
RISE: Recognize, Intervene, Support, and Empower
Developed by the Los Angeles LGBT Center, RISE is a training that aims to prepare participants to reduce the number of LGBTQ youth in long-term foster care and increase permanency by addressing heterosexism, anti-gay bias, and anti-transgender bias in caregiving settings.
Center of Excellence for Transgender Health
The UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health is committed to community and provider education and capacity-building activities.
The Williams Institute
The Williams Institute is dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. A think tank at UCLA Law, the Williams Institute produces high-quality research with real-world relevance and disseminates it to judges, legislators, policymakers, the media, and the public.
American Psychological Association Division 44: Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
Div. 44 is committed to advancing social justice in all its activities. The Society celebrates the diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, and queer people. They recognize the importance of multiple intersectional dimensions of diversity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, ability, age, citizenship, health status, language, nationality, religion, and social class.
The Sexual Health Educator (SHE) Custom Training
The Sexual Health Educator (SHE) Custom Training program provided by the California Department of Public Health STD Control Branch, Santa Clara County Public Health Department, and Santa Clara County Office of Education is for educators in school, community, and clinic settings who want to build their knowledge and capacity in sexual health and sexuality education.
CenterLink
CenterLink assists newly forming community centers and helps strengthen existing LGBT centers through networking opportunities for center leaders, peer-based technical assistance and training, and various capacity-building services.
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
GLSEN believes every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and LGBTQ-inclusive K-12 education. We are a national network of educators, students, and local GLSEN Chapters working to make this right a reality. Our research and experience have shown that there are four major ways that schools can cultivate a safe and supportive environment for all of their students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
Trans Student Educational Resources
Trans Student Educational Resources is a youth-led organization dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender-nonconforming students through advocacy and empowerment.
Teaching Tolerance
Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors, and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued, and welcome participants.
Matthew Shepard Foundation
The Matthew Shepard Foundation empowers individuals to embrace human dignity and diversity through outreach, advocacy, and resource programs. We strive to replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance.
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) works to leverage political capital and change laws encouraging discriminatory behavior. NCTE has a helpful “Know Your Rights” section of their website with information on housing, healthcare, employment, and more.
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) was the first national LGBTQ legal organization founded by women and brings a fierce, longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and the most vulnerable within our community.
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
PFLAG is an organization that works to achieve equality for all in schools.
Community United Against Violence (CUAV)
Community United Against Violence (CUAV) works to build the power of LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) communities to transform violence and oppression. We support the healing and leadership of those impacted by abuse and mobilize our broader communities to replace cycles of trauma with safety and liberation. As part of the larger social justice movement, CUAV works to create truly safe communities where everyone can thrive. The 24-hour Safety Line: (415) 333-HELP (4357).
Somos Familia
Somos Familia was founded by two moms from the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) with Latino gay and bisexual sons in 2007 to reach out to other families. Somos Familia builds leadership in our Latinx families and communities to create a culture where people of diverse genders and sexual orientations can thrive.
Transgender Law Center
Transgender Law Center is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people. Grounded in legal expertise and committed to racial justice, we employ various community-driven strategies to keep transgender and gender-nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation.