Q Chat Space online discussion groups give you a dedicated space to come together with other youth and discuss topics relevant to your identities and experiences – but it’s with youth from all over the US and beyond! It is live and chat-based; there is no video or audio. Chats last 1.5 hours. Facilitators are people who work at LGBTQ+ centers across the US.
Go to www.qchatspace.org to check it out and see what groups are available this week.
Want to see what Q Chat Space looks like in action? Check out this video!
When you join an online discussion group, a facilitator will greet you when you arrive. There will be some time to informally meet others who are joining the discussion. After introductions and a review of group agreements, there will be open discussion on a designated topic. You are free to share as much or as little as you like. At the end, there will be a closing and some time to chat more informally.
Go to www.qchatspace.org to check it out and see what groups are available this week.
We want people who use Q Chat Space to feel safe, get support, and make friends. In order to make sure that happens, there are clear and mutually agreed upon ways to interact with each other. Every person who joins groups on Q Chat Space agrees that they will:
1. Respect other’s identities and pronouns.
2. Keep confidentiality – what’s shared here, stays here.
3. Be here for support and try to stay positive.
4. Welcome new ideas and different perspectives.
5. Own up to and forgive mistakes.
Both facilitators and participants in groups are responsible for keeping these agreements. They are also responsible for courteously helping others understand when they might be doing something that doesn’t follow the agreements. Everyone needs to work together to build a respectful and trusting community.
We also want to be clear that Q Chat Space is here to support you, but the facilitators are not mental health professionals. And, while we won’t share the information you discuss in the group, there are a few exceptions to that. Q Chat Space facilitators have to report information shared in the group if you disclose that you want to hurt yourself or someone else, or if you share that abuse is happening.