Empowering youth, families and communities with gender affirming services, training and research.

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Community Groups

Foster Youth and Young Adults (virtual)

In partnership with the Administration for Children’s Services, the Gender and Family Project will be offering two new community groups specifically for transgender and gender expansive foster youth and young adults. The groups are open to young persons ages 12-24 in the foster care system, the juvenile justice system, and/or who have experienced Child Protective Services.

Join us in an TGNC-only space where youth and young adults can talk about family, community, gender, and more.

  • Community Builders (ages 12-17) - last Wednesdays at 6pm EST
  • Future Connections (ages 18-24) - last Thursdays at 6pm EST

For more information on our foster youth community groups or to refer a foster youth, please contact:

Nat Roberts, Research Coordinator

nroberts@ackerman.org

For Gender Creative Kids

ages 5-10

The Gender Creative Kids group is open to all gender-expansive and transgender children between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. The group provides children with an affirming space where they can socialize, play and engage in creative activities with other children expressing comparable ranges of gender fluidity.

It is especially designed to run concurrently with the parents group and conveniently allows parents to meet while their children are having supervised fun in the same building.

All in-person community groups are offered monthly on every third Friday of the month (with the exception of August and December) for 2 hours, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm ET.

For more information about scheduling to come to a community group, please contact:

Sanniel Sanabia, Program Coordinator

ssanabia@ackerman. org

(212) 879-4900, ext. 150

For Gender Expansive and Transgender Tweens

ages 10-14

Group starts with names, pronouns, and a fun check-in question. Activities include prompts for art and journaling connected to a topic as well as viewing short videos for discussion. Activities and discussion center on topics such as navigating disclosure among family and peers, connecting to LGBTQ history, and supporting each other.

It is especially designed to run concurrently with the parents group and conveniently allows parents to meet while their children are meeting in the same building.

All in-person community groups are offered monthly on every third Friday of the month (with the exception of August and December) for 2 hours, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm ET.

For Gender Expansive and Transgender Teenagers

age 14-18

This community group welcomes adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. The group provides teens with a safe space where they can share experiences around transition, socialization and other challenges. It is an interactive and empowering space that also emphasizes resilience and mutual support.

It is especially designed to run concurrently with the parents group and conveniently allows parents to meet while their children are meeting in the same building.

All in-person community groups are offered monthly on every third Friday of the month (with the exception of August and December) for 2 hours, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm ET.

For Siblings (currently on pause)

While most siblings are accepting and understanding of their gender-expansive and transgender family member, siblings face specific challenges that require attention and support. They too need to navigate the issues of disclosure to friends and peers in school. They might worry about their sibling or want to be more involved in the meaningful conversation their family is having about gender development.

It is especially designed to run concurrently with the parents group and conveniently allows parents to meet while their children are meeting in the same building.

All in-person community groups are offered monthly on every third Friday of the month (with the exception of August and December) for 2 hours, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm ET.

For Caregivers and Parents

Many parents and caregivers feel concerned and uncertain about how to handle their child’s gender expression or identity when the identity does not align with social expectations of the child’s sex assigned at birth. While caregivers can access information online, they might feel isolated and struggle to find other caregivers who can understand their dilemmas or appreciate their family’s accomplishments. While some caregivers find it easier to embrace gender-expansiveness, other caregivers find themselves uncertain about how best to protect and nurture a child with gender fluidity. Many parents find comfort in having a community of peers where they can share their struggles, doubts, and achievements, and be understood by other parents navigating similar questions. Issues of disclosure to family members and friends, psychosocial and medical treatment, advocacy in schools, faith communities and other institutions are addressed.

In addition, parenting transgender adolescents who are entering, or are well into puberty, can confront parents with dilemmas specific to that developmental phase, such as whether or not to undertake hormonal therapy and/or gender affirming surgeries, navigating medical insurance and providers, finding affirmative high schools and colleges, addressing dating, sexuality, and more.

It is especially designed to run concurrently with the childrens' groups and conveniently allows parents to meet while their children are meeting in the same building.

All in-person community groups are offered monthly on every third Friday of the month (with the exception of August and December) for 2 hours, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm ET.