GOLD for Canada

UBC News: Gay-straight alliances in schools reduce suicide risk for all students

Gay-straight alliances in schools reduce suicide risk for all students

Canadian schools with explicit anti-homophobia interventions such as gay-straight alliances (GSAs) may reduce the odds of suicidal thoughts and attempts among both sexual minority and straight students, according to a new study by University of British Columbia researchers.

Gay-straight alliances are student-led clubs that aim to make the school community a safer place for all students regardless of their sexual orientation. Their members include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their straight allies.

“We know that LGBTQ students are at higher risk for suicide, in part because they are more often targeted for bullying and discrimination,” says Elizabeth Saewyc, lead author of the study and professor with the UBC School of Nursing. “But heterosexual students can also be the target of homophobic bullying. When policies and supportive programs like GSAs are in place long enough to change the environment of the school, it’s better for students’ mental health, no matter what their orientation.”

LGBTQ youth and heterosexual students in schools with anti-homophobia policies and GSAs had lower odds of discrimination, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, primarily when both strategies were enacted, or when the polices and GSAs had been in place for three years or more.

Key findings:

In schools with gay-straight alliances implemented three or more years ago:

• The odds of homophobic discrimination and suicidal thoughts were reduced by more than half among lesbian, gay, bisexual boys and girls compared to schools with no GSA.
• There were also significantly lower odds of sexual orientation discrimination for heterosexual boys and girls.
• Heterosexual boys were half as likely to attempt suicide as those in schools without GSAs.

In schools where anti-homophobic policies have been in place for more than three years:

• The odds of suicidal thoughts and attempts for gay and bisexual boys were more than 70 per cent lower. Suicide attempts among lesbian and bisexual girls were two-thirds lower.
• Heterosexual boys had 27 per cent lower odds of suicidal thoughts than heterosexual boys in schools without such policies.

 

Read more at Source

Poverty: Why are our children still hungry?

One of the schools I work at has a breakfast program, but it struggles to stay running and was recently saved by 'adopt a school' sponsorship. Our amazing youth worker prepares smoothies each morning for students who arrive hungry.

This article caught my eye, I wonder why Canada is the only G8 country without a program in place for our hungry students?

This morning, one in seven Canadian children went to school hungry. In the poorest communities that number can reach 50 per cent. Despite this, Canada is the only G8 country that does not have a national child nutrition program in our schools.

Many people don’t realize the extent of hunger in Canada. In a developed country like ours, it can be easily overlooked. Every month, nearly 900,000 Canadians receive assistance from food banks — 38 per cent of them are children and youth. These youth frequently go to school on an empty stomach.

READ MORE HERE.

This needs to change! This is not about money, it is about priorities. 

Project of Heart Tiles

Source: millies.actieforum.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I love this idea. It would be a nice way to have the entire class design pieces and bring them togther to decorate a board or wall. It remind me of something I have going on in my class in upcoming weeks.

I am doing the Project of Heart tiles in my class. CHeck out the website for more info on  Project of heart

I took some photo examples at the BCTF AGM over Spring Break of some of the tiles already done.