THE LINK THAT CONNECTS
LINKED LGBTQ+ MENTORING
By emphasizing the importance of coming together as a community to support LGBTQ+ youth, the Linked Mentoring program’s goal is to connect our youth with an LGBTQ+ adult mentor, so that the two can develop a trusting, supportive, mutually positive connection.
DONATE
GSA Link is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates solely on donations. We appreciate your generosity and support to help make our world a better and more accepting place.
Why GSA Link?
Growing up, LGBTQ+ youth are often exposed to violence, marginalization, alienation, and rejection from a variety of sources: family members, peers, teachers, strangers, and the media. Knowing the majority of our youth are not in situations where they have access to older LGBTQ+ individuals who are invested in their success, growth, and identity development, we realize the need for mentoring programs to focus specifically on the LGBTQ+ community. We are helping to establish and develop these important mentoring relationships through our LGBTQ+ mentoring program, Linked Mentoring. The Linked Mentoring Program envisions a community in which all youth are able to experience a nurturing and affirming one-to-one relationship and gain community and support through co-creating spaces where adults and youth can support and empower each other to be their most authentic selves. For the youth who get involved, we have a variety of programs designed to listen to and promote their voices with peer and adult support. With every new struggle, discovery, friend, and triumph, we aim to show LGBTQ+ youth that they deserve to be their most authentic selves, and that we’re here to celebrate them through it all. Together, we are the link that connects.
HOW WE ARE HELPING
Our Linked Mentoring Program helps to establish nurturing and affirming mentoring relationships between LGBTQ+ youth and LGBTQ+ adults so that the two can develop a trusting, supportive, mutually positive connection.
We foster a community where LGBTQ+ youth can be their most authentic selves while being supported, empowered, and celebrated!
We also look to parents as agents of change, offering parent groups for support and information on how to best embrace their child in all facets of their identity.
WHY DO THIS WORK?
LGBTQ+ youth are growing up facing societal stigma, victimization, bias, and rejection on a daily basis. Many do not have a single adult they feel they can trust or turn to in times of need. Caring adults, advocates, and mentors are needed now more than ever.
Fostering community where LGBTQ+ youth can be their most authentic selves and experience nurturing, one-to-one relationships encourages our youth flourish, increases self-esteem, helps to combat anxiety and depression, and creates and cultivates an environment full of possibilities and success.
RAISE YOUR FLAG
Raise Your Flag is a movement by GSA Link that encourages you to raise your flag with pride and own your right to be who you are!
Your story matters, and we want
to hear it!
Raise your flag by sharing your
story with us today!
"In the end, I’ve been out publicly since I was fifteen, nearly sixteen, and I couldn’t be happier for it. It gets better, and when you can finally own who you are - you get better too." -Thomas
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