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Why these
“Workshop Tracks?” |
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Most workshops are tracks having both morning and afternoon
sessions. They are designed to give you the option to stay
focused on one area of concern for the whole day. This also
enables the program to benefit both those who are new to
each topic area and those who may want to pursue the topic
in more depth. However, If you wish, you may choose to
“change” to another track for the afternoon session. We want
to provide maximum flexibility along with program
continuity. |
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DESCRIPTION
OF WORKSHOP TRACKS
10:30 – 12:00 and 1:00 – 2:30 |
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Workshop Track 1: Building And Extending Families
is for participants who either are planning to have a first
child or are considering bringing a new child into their
family. |
| The track begins in the morning session with a general
introduction and summary of expectations/ desires of
participants. |
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First there will be a brief overview of the issues and
challenges that emerge for gay and lesbian couples (or
single individuals) who choose to have a family in Florida.
You will gain insights into the options you have for
starting or building a family whether by domestic or foreign
adoption or by biological means (alternate insemination and
surrogacy). |
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Participants will then break up into work groups to pursue
one of those options in depth. These groups will be set up
with special attention to the different backgrounds and
needs of the participants, both men and women |
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In the afternoon, if you wish to stay with this track all
day, you will have the opportunity to consider legal issues,
particularly the development of documents that help you
protect your family. (Participants from other tracks in the
morning session may join you in this “stand alone” legal
issues presentation, if they so choose.) |
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Workshop
Track 2: Blended Families
focuses on the impact of former relationships on every
member of the family, especially the children, whether that
be the effect of a recent breakup or the long term
implications of relating to a former spouse or partner and
their families. As a participant, you will be guided in
conversations about topics that may include (but are not
limited to): Relating to your former spouse in straight
relationships; Dealing with step family issues; Dealing with
the differences when one partner's family is open and
accepting while the other partner may be closeted to
his/her family; Meeting the unique needs of children of
varying ages who now have a gay relationship in one of
their parent's lives, or after there has been a change in
your gay/lesbian partner relationships. The program
facilitators will help you identify needs and structure
conversations to address those needs. |
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Workshop Track 3: Talking With Our Children About Our
Families
has proven
to be one of the most popular sessions in past VOF
conferences and we have learned much over the past two years
about what children do, and do not, say to their parents, to
their friends and to their teachers about our families.
This is a unique opportunity for you to work together with
other families to help each other meet your children where
they are with “being in a gay family,” whether your need is
to address a 7 year olds’ lack of understanding who Daddy’s
partner is, or wishing to have a Mommy like everyone else,
or a 10 year old being harassed at school for having two
moms, or embarrassed about her family, or a teen who is
rejecting everything about his parents, or helping your
child work through confusing messages from a grandparent who
is not accepting of your relationship. Participants will
identify the questions and spend the day working through the
practical issues of addressing those questions. Sharing
experiences is a key element in this workshop. |
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Workshop Track 4.
Our Transgender Families – Toward Understanding, Acceptance
and Welcome.
Relationships with our families and friends so strongly
affect how we feel about our core identity, including
gender.
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This workshop track is a day long forum designed for anyone
dealing with questions of gender. It may be helpful for you
if you have transitioned or are in the process of
transitioning, or if your sense of yourself is less defined
by society’s gender labels, or if you have a child, a
sibling, a parent who has transitioned, or if your child is
questioning their gender or in any stage in a process of
transitioning. |
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Facilitators will help group members identify key family
issues in the morning session that will help determine the
course of discussion for the day. Through guided
discussions, you will not only learn from one another about
ways to improve the quality of ”family” life (however you
define family), but you will build a network of support that
may resource you into the future. You will also have the
opportunity to learn about community resources. |
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Workshop Track 5 (am only) Enhancing Your Relationship
is a
session to help you and your partner (or potential partner?)
learn ways to improve your communication and intimacy
skills. Take this special time to refresh your connection
with each other. You will have the opportunity to learn
these skills from some of the LGBT community’s best
relationship experts. |
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Workshop Track 6 (pm only)
Opening Doors: Lesbian and Gay Parents in Schools:
This will be a discussion based on two Family Pride
publications: Opening Doors: Gay and Lesbian Parents in
Schools and Opening More Doors: Creating Policy
Change to Include Our Families exploring the ways in
which LGBT parents can pave the way for safety and inclusion
for their children in school. Come learn how to work with
your child’s teachers, school administrators and
parent/teacher organization in public and private schools. |
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YOUTH
PROGRAM TRACKS
All day (time differs by age group)
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Two programs are planned for young people. One focuses on
gathering the young children of LGBT parents for fun
activities, peer bonding and self expression. The other
focuses on providing LGBT youth and their friends various
opportunities to speak and be heard by their peers and
supportive facilitators. There will be a special emphasis on
helping young people tell their life stories and raise their
concerns with honesty and self assurance. It will be a safe
and empowering place. |
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SunCentral (ages 13-17)
10:00 – 3:00 |
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With a special emphasis on self esteem and communication
skills development, LGBT teens and the teenage children of
LGBT parents both will have a unique chance to bond with
their peers. There will be a special emphasis this year on
gathering teens from local GSAs and opportunities for new
nurturing new friendships. |
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Camp
Sunshine (ages 3-12)
10:30 – 3:00 |
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There will be a series of activities for children in various
age groups throughout the day. Activities include arts,
crafts, story telling, movies, games and discussions
appropriate to the child’s age group. There will be various
visible products of their activities (e.g. art work), some
of which may be shared during the General Session: Across
the Generations. The focus of the day’s programming will be
on celebrating each child’s family. For older children,
this day provides an excellent opportunity to engage in
facilitated conversations about their experiences with other
children in LGBT families. This children’s program does not
represent itself as “child care.” Rather it is an
educational and recreational program provided under the
supervision of professionals and trained volunteers. |
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The children’s activities will be presented by
professionals.
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The children will have their own rooms for their
activities.
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Parents are welcome to participate with the children
in each of their activities.
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Children will be broken up into age groups for their
activities.
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Children will have lunch with their parents.
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Each child will have a name badge.
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We will know what workshops their parents/guardians
are in all day.
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Each parent will be asked to sign a permission form at
registration.
NOTE –
We cannot accommodate children under three in our
children’s program. Children must be toilet trained and
able to interact with other children in their age group.
This program does not constitute “child care” as that
term is technically used to license “child care”
providers for day care programs.
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GENERAL
SESSION: “Across the Generations”
2:45 – 4:00 |
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We begin with an update by leading LGBT advocates on
Florida’s constitutional marriage amendment initiative and
our community’s response to it. |
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Then we are joined by the children from gay and lesbian
headed households, LGBTQ teens and their friends as well as
gay and lesbian parents to share experiences of the day with
each other. The assembly will experience a family telling
their stories of struggles, challenges, hopes and love
across the generations. This is the only event of its kind
anywhere! LGBT teens will see models of how to be gay
parents. Gay and lesbian parents will experience what it is
like to mentor a new generation of LGBT youth. Children from
LGBT households will have the chance to tell their own
stories. There will not be a dry eye in the room! |
