STARTING A CHAPTER OF COLAGE
(Children of Lesbians & Gays Everywhere)
Starting a COLAGE chapter is a great way to reach out and provide support to young people in your community! Each chapter is unique and is shaped by the groups participants. We can help you create a group that best meets the needs of local COLAGErs. A group can be started anywhere. Take a look at how you can get involved.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
1. WHO?
Who will the group be for? Some things to consider: What age or grade group? Boys and/or girls? Kids with LGBT parents only? LGBTQ youth and allies too?
Having a focus for the group helps give it structure. For example, a weekly activity and discussion group for kids 9-12 y.o. in LGBT families.
2. WHAT?
What type of group will it be? COLAGE groups look different from one another and usually change from time to time. Some groups meet weekly or monthly and have a focus such as planned discussion topics, art projects, recreation, community service or a combination or several of these. When the group starts meeting, consider asking the participants to define what type of group they want.
3. WHEN?
When and how often will the group meet? Weekly? Bi-weekly? Monthly? Afternoons or evenings? Weekend or weekday? You may want to poll your intital group participants to find out what is most convenient for them.
4. WHERE?
Find a group meeting place. Look for a cozy space that's easy for people to get to by foot or public transportation. Ideas: Schools, places of worship, art studios, bookstores, recreation centers, somebody's home, youth community centers and shelters.
5. RUNNING THE GROUP
Do you want to facilitate and coordinate the group? What's involved in facilitating and coordinating? How much time do you have to put into the group? If you want to just facilitate or coordinate then it's important to get others involved to help run the group. Here are some ideas: teens and adults with LGBT parents, teachers, community activists, LGBT parents, and artists.
Facilitating usually involves planning what the group will do before each meeting and then running the group. Coordinating usually involves making sure the group meeting space can be used on an ongoing basis, that a facilitator is at each group meeting, that participants know when the group will meet ahead of time, and any other planning that the coordinator chooses to take on. For instance, some groups have special activities such as an outing to an amusment park, which a coordinator would plan.
How often the group meets and the types of activities the group will be doing will determine how much time commitment coordinating the group will be. It's up to you. Coordinating a group could take as little as four hours per month or as much as 20 hours per month if you take on a lot of activities.
6. OUTREACH FOR PARTICIPANTS
After you know who the group is for, when and where it will meet, and who will coordinate and facilitate, it's time to find participants!
There are many ways to get the word out about the group; tell as many people as you can (including school counselors and teachers, staff at LGBT bookstores, etc...); make flyers and post them in places where families and youth often go; advertise the group in free newspapers, community newsletters an bulletin boards; and ask LGBT and youth community to advertise the group in their publications and calendars.
7. CONTACT COLAGE
We are here to help you every step of the way, even after your chapter gets started. Feel free to call M-F 10am-6pm (PST) @ 415-861-KIDS or e-mail director@colage.org.