See upcoming youth events at Center Calendar: Youth

Adolescence is a transitional stage from childhood into adulthood, and like all major life transitions, it offers many changes, challenges and opportunities. During this time, young people face the onset of puberty, and are challenged also with a variety of development tasks including: identity formation, negotiating increasing autonomy and separation from their caregivers, the development of peer relationships and social competency, taking on responsibility for self care, and the ability to make important life decisions.

For many youth, the transition to adulthood is a gradual adjustment, made meaningful through the support and guidance of their family and kinship networks, teachers and schools, cultural, religious and civic communities, who provide them with vital information about survival, and a safety net of stability, belonging, continuity and safe haven.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth face all the challenges of adolescence, but they often don't get the information, social opportunities, emotional supports or guidance they need to meet those challenges; to withstand the effects of prejudice, discrimination and oppression; and to develop into healthy adults.

In fact, many of our young people face violence and rejection from the people and the institutions they rely on for nurturing.

Professional Development

The YES Program offers professional development workshops, training and resources to service providers, child-care workers, counselors, teachers and administrative staff who work with youth and families. We are proud to offer staff development and student training opportunities to New York City schools.

With over ten years of experience training about the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and families, YES is a contracted vendor of the New York City Department of Education and offer professional development training and classroom workshops to public schools throughout the city.

New York City Department of Education vendor number: 133217805 Contract number: 9200567

contact us Call 212.620.7310 and ask for the YES program (or a specific staff person's name), or email us at YES@gaycenter.org.