WHAT DOES LGBTQ+ STAND FOR? LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning) and more. In use since the 1990s, the initialism – as well as other common variants – functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT THE TRAINING? ‘Really helpful for stimulating conversation and for promoting grace and reflection.’ ‘Thought-provoking, helpful, eye-opening.’ ‘Really helpful – a good mix of input, conversation and opportunity to think about specific issues.’ ‘At the end of the training, I had someone ask to take the microphone as he had something to say. He proceeded to come out to everyone publicly. He said that it had never been easy and that he had always known something was not right but, after our session, he felt it was the right time to tell his church; he felt safe to do so.’ ‘I recently told friends at my local running club about The Salvation Army’s training on how to pastorally support LGBTQ+ young people. It got them really excited as many of them work with children, some of whom identify as LGBTQ+ and some are parents of children who are LGBTQ+. A number of the group’s members now want to go through the training. This all happened while out for drinks – it’s some of the most fruitful ministry I’ve been involved in recently.’
effective pilots with youth workers, and the backing of leadership, we launched this training resource in the summer of 2021. To date, more than 800 people have attended the training. It is designed to equip youth leaders with knowledge and information to engage with young people around identity and gender and to be able
to offer loving, compassionate and inclusive pastoral support to LGBTQ+ young people in the church community. However, it is relevant to all who may wish to deepen their understanding in this area. The content seeks to help the participant understand something of what it’s like to be an LGBTQ+ teen
in the Church and to give them a vocabulary to be able to engage in conversations around the issues they may be facing. It refuses to address the ‘argument’ for one side or the other, but instead helps to start a conversation from a perspective of love and pastoral care for young people. The training is facilitated in person by divisional youth specialists and takes just over two hours. It is a varied programme, including group discussion, games, teaching and a Q+A session. We discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in real-life contexts using Diversity Dice by Frontier Youth Trust and consider five practical actions for pastorally supporting LGBTQ+ young people. We also hear several insightful and moving video testimonies filmed by the Video Production Unit. To truly understand the lives of young people who identify as LGBTQ+, we must listen to the story of their journey. Each participant receives a detailed guide with a summary of the course content. Although originally aimed at youth leaders, this training is open to all, and the high engagement in the training from the wider congregation reflects the need, interest and importance for all to actively engage in the conversation around LGBTQ+ issues. O Get
in touch with your divisional youth specialist for training dates in your area, or contact the Youth and Children’s Ministries Unit for more information at youthchildren@salvationarmy.org.uk
MATT PERKINS Youth Specialist (Leader Development) Youth and Children’s Ministries Unit
Salvationist 13 August 2022
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