Providing quality training on transgender identities and policy support for educators, administrators, school staff, and students is critical to ensuring a thriving community for all. A policy can allows students and school staff alike to have clarity in the inclusion and affirmation of transgender students. However, ongoing training is needed to ensure the success of the policy. Educators, administrators, and school staff should be aware of transgender and gender expansive student issues in order to be supportive, responsive, and culturally competent.
Many schools and districts find holding a comprehensive workshop on transgender student issues for their administrators, educators, and school staff (together or separately) is important to truly begin the work of supporting transgender and gender expansive students. From there, ongoing training is useful to be built into regular professional training offered in a school, district, and IU.
Listed here are well-established resources that provide professional education on transgender youth issues in Pennsylvania schools. The organizations and experts are listed with their general service areas.
| The Pennsylvania Youth Congress Available Fully Statewide for All 67 Counties |
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The Pennsylvania Youth Congress proudly offers comprehensive transgender education programs for educators, administrators, school staff, and students. Focused on the issues facing PA schools since 2011, PYC is the first and only agency available statewide for LGBT-related trainings in Pennsylvania.Does your community want to learn more about issues facing LGBT students? What are the current laws and polices which impact LGBT students in Pennsylvania? PYC regularly provides introductory, intermediate, and advanced trainings on LGBT student issues throughout the commonwealth.
PYC trainings are conducted by professional youth staff. PYC staff are veteran trainers who have facilitated numerous workshop sessions at high schools, colleges, and universities throughout Pennsylvania. We custom plan each session to best fit your objectives. You may visit our Workshop Listing page to learn more about our signature sessions, including “Supporting Transgender Students in Pennsylvania Schools.” To inquire about a training please complete PYC’s online request form here or email info@payouthcongress.org. |
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The Attic Youth Center |
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The Bryson Institute of the Attic Youth Center offers dynamic, interactive, and educational trainings around best practices for working with LGBTQ individuals. From social service and health care providers, to faith communities, to schools, our goal is to improve the climate and support systems for LGBTQ youth in their everyday environments by fostering understanding, imparting knowledge, and providing strategies for creating safe and affirming environments.
Since 2001, the Institute has been working to educate youth and adults about issues of respect and diversity. The Institute supports individuals, communities, and organizations in effecting personal and organizational changes to build inclusive environments that recognize and promote the value of diversity. In less than a decade, the Institute has trained over 28,000 individuals in schools/colleges/university systems, social service agencies, workplaces, faith-based organizations, and communities to help create supportive and affirming environments for the LGBTQ community, specializing in particular in the needs of LGBTQ youth. From one hour to full day trainings to multi-day sessions, the Institute creates an environment where dialogue can begin about how to create caring, compassionate and accepting communities, whether in schools, youth-serving agencies or the workplace. To request a training or for more information please contact brysoninstitute@atticyouthcenter.org. |
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Dr. Michele Angello |
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Become one of the hundreds of schools, community centers and universities to properly address the unique needs of transgender youth by inviting Dr. Michele Angello, clinical sexologist and transgender specialist to your institution. Dr. Angello’s informative approach will enhance relationships between staff and students, with the intent of bringing parents and communities together. Dr. Angello is dedicated to offering community services that enrich the scholastic, community and medical experiences of transgender youth. If you are interested in being on the cutting edge of educational diversity, invite Dr. Angello to educate your staff and become one of the growing number of trans positive educators and professionals in the country.
To request a training or for more information please visit her website here. |
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Dr. Graciela Slesaransky-Poe |
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Dr. Graciela Slesaransky-Poe is both an Education Professor at Arcadia University and an experienced Educational Consultant with over 20 years in the field. Her work is deeply rooted in her commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). At Arcadia, she has held leadership positions including Founding Dean of the School of Education (2014-2016), Co-Chair of the President’s JEDI Commission, and member of the Combating Anti-Black Racism Initiatives (ABRI) leadership team. Nationally, she was a founding member of the Education Deans for Justice and Equity (EDJE).
As a Consultant, Graciela has guided various educational institutions and non-profit organizations in creating gender inclusive, affirming, and welcoming spaces for trans and gender non-binary individuals, locally and globally. She is honored for her contributions, including receiving the Champion of Social Justice award from the Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center and the Patricia J. Creegan Award for Excellence in Inclusive Education from the Pennsylvania Education for All Coalition (PEAC). |
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Dr. Jeanne Stanley |
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Dr. Jeanne Stanley is a licensed psychologist, national trainer, published author, consultant, adjunct graduate faculty member and former director of graduate counseling programs at the University of Pennsylvania. She provides trainings and consulting for school districts and private schools on sociocultural identities, with a focus on transgender and gender expansive students. She was awarded the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She is known for her engaging and knowledgeable presentations and trainings. Dr. Stanley’s research has resulted in several publications in scholarly journals and books and she is currently co-editing a book for APA on Teaching LGBTQ Psychology in schools, communities and academia.
To request a training or for more information please visit her website with Watershed Counseling & Consultation Services, LLC, here. |
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LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania |
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The LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania offers a full range of staff development programs for educators, administrators, human service agencies, mental health care providers, and other professionals. From individual consultations to small group seminars to full-day workshops, we provide a flexible curriculum on creating a safe space for LGBTQ people including multiple topics like sexual orientation, gender identity, bullying and harassment, and legal issues.
For more information, please visit their website here, or contact the LGBT Center of Central PA at 717-920-9534 or info@centralpalgbtcenter.org. |