Greetings from the LGBTQ Parenting Network. We are currently in middle of a Sherbourne Health Centre office shuffle. Our new space (as of August 23rd) will be in rooms 2070-2072. If you're visiting, that's straight ahead when you get off the elevators on the second floor, just off of the space (the Ballroom or "Great Room") where our special events are often held. We're happy that the Network staff, students and voluteers are now all together in a connected space!
Hope you're all enjoying the summer sunshine! And we look forward to reconnecting with you at the picnic in September.
1. The Queer Family Back To School Picnic - Sunday, September 19, 2010
2. Job Posting - Facilitator – Trans Men Considering Pregnancy - Weekend Workshop
3. Documentary Seeks Participants
4. Survey: LGBTQ Communities and the Public Library
5. Call for Participants! The Creating Our Families Project
1. The Queer Family Back To School Picnic - Sunday, September 19, 2010
11 am to 2 pm
Dufferin Grove Park (just south of Bloor on Dufferin)
Come connect with other families as we get settled into a new school year. Bring a picnic lunch, blanket and games. We’ll provide snacks, drinks and activities, including Circle Time with Jerry.
This is a joint event of the LGBTQ Parenting Network and Queer Parenting Programs at The 519.
2. Job Posting - Facilitator – Trans Men Considering Pregnancy - Weekend Workshop
(Contract: September - December, 2010)
Deadline for Applications: Monday, September 6, 2010, 5:00 pm
In November, 2010 the LGBTQ Parenting Network, in partnership with Queer Parenting Programs at The 519 Churst Street Community Centre, will be offering a weekend workshop exploring the practical, emotional, social and legal issues for trans men who are exploring pregnancy as an option for family building.
We are currently seeking to engage someone to consolidate the curriculum for this workshop and to facilitate the weekend. The contract will involve gathering and surveying relevant information on the issues and barriers encountered by trans men considering pregnancy; consolidating this material into a weekend workshop format; identifying key resource people as guest speakers; facilitating the weekend workshop with up to 20 participants.
Remuneration for the complete contract is $1,500.
($700 for curriculum preparation; $800 for workshop delivery)
Expectations of the Successful Candidate:
• Knowledge and/or experience of issues, services and programs related to LGBTQ parenting, and specifically, issues, services and programs related to trans mens’ pregnancy and parenting.
• Knowledge of and experience working in trans communities, including knowledge of how to access community resources related to trans pregnancy and parenting.
• Skills and experience in group facilitation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A collaborative, community-based approach to learning and teaching.
• Ability to work both independently, and in collaboration.
• Knowledge and experience working within an anti-oppression framework.
Application: Please apply in writing to:
Bev Lepischak
Program Director, LGBT Health
Sherbourne Health Centre
333 Sherbourne Street
Toronto, ON M5A 2S5
Or by fax: 416 324 4262. Or by email to: fmullan@sherbourne.on.ca.
Deadline for Applications: Monday, September 6, 2010, 5:00 pm
3. Documentary Seeks Participants
“Parents,
My name is Gordon Graham, I am a recent graduate of the Humber College Film and Television Program and have been commissioned by the Humber Child Development Center to create a short documentary on the subject of Inclusion. Initially the project was going to focus on the inclusion of special needs children into the greater daycare population, however once we all sat down and started chatting about the doc, we decided to expand the idea and focus on the inclusion of all people's needs, whether they be gender-based, cultural, religious, etc. To that end I am putting out a call for interview subjects from the LGBTQ parenting community who would be willing to discuss their experiences, hopes, dreams, or fears about raising their child/children. The entirety of the interview will be 2 hours at the most, accounting in this estimation for my crew's set up time as well. Also to ensure a level of comfort, you will be sent the questions beforehand. As far as location goes I am more than willing to work with you to find a space you are comfortable speaking in. If you are at all interested please email either myself (gord.graham01@gmail.com) or my Production Manager, Quinn McCutcheon (quinnmccutcheon@gmail.com). My thanks and I look forward to working with whoever responds.
Gordon Graham
McAlpine Creative Productions”
4. Survey: LGBTQ Communities and the Public Library
“My name is Jennifer Draper and I work for the Pickering Public Library
(Ontario Canada) as a Librarian. I am doing an online questionnaire to
find out how the LGBTQ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer)
community feels about their public library. The results are going to
be presented at the Ontario Library Association Conference in 2011. I
want to know how the public library can better serve the LGBTQ
community (my community!), and even market it's services to you. In
some cases small/medium town libraries don't think they have anyone
from our community living there. Most of the people I know came from
small towns, so I am aiming to set the record..er...straight. I am
also looking for people to interview on camera about their library
experiences. So if you are interested in talking about your library
experiences, and are in my area, please contact me at: jenniferd@picnet.org .
To do the questionnaire go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SJSXB9C
Thanks for your time.”
5. Call for Participants! The Creating Our Families Project
The Creating Our Families Project: A pilot study of the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people accessing Assisted Human Reproduction services in Ontario.
The Parenting Network and CAMH recently received a grant to examine the experiences of LGBT people who have used fertility clinics and sperm donation services in Ontario or who considered using these services but didn’t due to barriers.
Goals of the research
New legislation is being developed regarding Assisted Human Reproduction in Canada. This legislation contains a non-discrimination clause barring discrimination in AHR services based on sexual orientation and marital status.
1. We want to know if LGBT people’s experiences with AHR services are congruent with this non-discrimination clause.
2. We also want to identify barriers and supports to AHR service access for LGBT people.
3. We are want to see if there are similarities and differences in the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people (including people who identify as more than one of these categories) with AHR services.
4. We plan to use the knowledge we gain to inform AHR service delivery in Ontario and to develop future research in this area.
We hope to interview approximately 40 LGBT people from across Ontario.
How can you help?
Pass on the information below to anyone you think might be interested! Or you can participate yourself if the information below applies to you.
We are interested in talking to LGBT people who:
• Have used a fertility clinic or sperm bank in Ontario in the past three years
OR
• Have considered using fertility clinics or sperm banks but didn’t because you faced barriers or thought you might
• Our goal is to learn about the experiences of LGBTQ people with assisted human reproduction services in Ontario.
• Participation includes a 1 hour interview.
• We’d love to talk to individuals, couples or multi-parent families.
• Compensation will be provided.
• ASL interpretation and wheelchair accessible interview spaces are available upon request.
For more information or to participate please contact us:
1-866-371-6667 or 416 535-8501 x 7380
Email: creating_families@camh.net
.jpg)
To submit announcements and events to the eNewsletter, please send plain text wording to mtamaki@sherbourne.on.ca. This newsletter is sent out twice a month and is also available at www.lgbtqparentingconnection.ca.
