Click here to see our April 2010 Newsletter!

ALSO has received a $10,000 "matching grant" from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice.   This grant is for operating costs to run the drop-in center and our programs.   Thanks to all of our donors who are helping us to meet our $10,000 match-- it's much appreciated!

Statistics don’t lie, but they don’t always show you the truth either.   When you reduce people to behaviors, numbers, and trends, the aspect of humanity you are trying to gauge or measure is poorly translated into math, and so many people ignore statistics, assuming they are not as accurate as our first hand observation, anecdotal evidence, or assumptions.   Surveys, polls, and statistics are fairly accurate at some things though, and when it comes to determining the safety and well being of the youth in our community, it is probably best to take a balanced approach and use our common sense and observation as well as seek direct input from the youth we hope to help.  Who better to teach us about youth issues, then the youth themselves!

In Sarasota County, students are asked to participate in one of two surveys given annually depending on the student’s grade level.  One survey is known as the “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” (YRBS) and is largely based on a CDC survey as part of their “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System” (YRBSS).   These surveys are taken statewide and across the nation and they serve as a fairly accurate barometer of the behaviors our young people self-report.    Students are not required to participate in this survey and the entire process is voluntary.   Local results from these tests are released yearly through the “Safe & Drug Free Schools” (SDFS) committee, a group open to the public and charged with the responsibility of determining the suitability of guest speakers and presentations in local schools, and working together to present solutions to issues youth are facing in our schools.  

This year’s survey results are from the 2008/2009 school year when 1,129   9th and 11th graders took the YRBS.  The majority of Students were white (70.9), non-white Hispanic or Latino (10.1%), or African-American (8.3%).   The YRBS also includes state and national survey results and compares them to our local results.   The YRBS is not currently available on the website for the school district, but is available to the public upon request – we also have a few copies at ALSO that are available for review and discussion.

Many of the areas in which risky behaviors increased since the last survey were drug/alcohol related, un-safe sex related, or associated with violence.  Over 44% of respondents had at least one drink of alcohol in the last 30 days, and 36% of respondents reported riding in a car with someone who had been drinking 1 or more times in the last 30 days,.   Teen drinking is not a new phenomenon, but teenage binge drinking (defined in the YRBS as have had 5 or more drinks in a row), is on the rise with 28% of students reporting a drinking binge within the last 30 days.     Also, Marijuana use within the past 30 days has spiked from 19% in 2006 to 28% in 2008.   Particularly alarming was the doubling of students reporting Cocaine use in the past 30 days, going from 4% in 2006 to 8% in 2008.  While such a low percentage might seem like just a fluctuation, when you turn those numbers back into real teens with real world problems, it’s a big deal, and it matters to every one of us living in this community.

Students in Sarasota County are taught about HIV/AIDS (as 89% of students reported), but condoms are not discussed in detail or frequency, and are not made available to them at school for free.   This mixed message about safe/un-safe sex has led to an increase in teen sex and a decrease in condom use.   In 2006, 40% of students reported having had sexual intercourse at least once -- in 2008, 48% reported having had sex.  In 2006, 11% of students reported having had sexual intercourse with four or more people in their lifetime – in 2008, 17% reported having had sex with 4+ people.   Youth reporting use of a condom the last time they had sex also decreased in frequency from 2006 (66%) to 2008 (51%).  In other words, more students are having sex, they are having sex with many more partners, and they are using condoms less.  Clearly an abstinence only + HIV education curriculum does not work – teach students about condoms, make them available for free, and protect students and our community!

Violent behaviors such as bullying and fighting on school property are also on the increase since 2006, with students reporting being in a physical fight on school campus in the last 30 days up from 12% to 14%, and 25% of students reporting being bullied on campus in the past 12 months.   Not surprisingly, over 9% of students reported not going to school on 1 or more days because they felt unsafe, and 17% of students report actually attempting suicide at least one time in the past 12 months (a disturbingly high number).  GLBTQ youth are especially at risk of missing school because of teasing and name calling, attempting or considering suicide, and are often involved in violence because of bullying (though our district does not record such data on this survey).   One thing our district survey does do is ask students whether they have been a victim of teasing or taunts because someone thought they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual.   Overall, 15 % of students reported such abuse at school (that’s 16.5% of girls and 20% of boys).    Clearly, much improvement is needed in our local schools to protect our youth from needless bullying, worry, and violence.   Inclusion of this question and questions like it illustrate a willingness to address GLBTQ issues is Sarasota Schools, but continued participation with and feedback to/from the schools is vital.  ALSO is continually working to improve our dialogue with the Sarasota School District, local principals and counselors, and the teachers and students themselves, and we encourage our donors, supporters, allies and friends to do the same!  

 

Dear friends and supporters,

The past month has been quite a whirlwind for ALSO, in looking at where we have been, what worked, what didn’t, and where we are going. I will do my best to keep my comments succinct, as my thoughts and ideas are extensive and random. First let me say I am proud to be ALSO’s new Executive Director. I am a firm believer in the mission and vision of ALSO. My long term career goal is, quite simple: to help adolescents get in touch with their true potential and overcome the numerous internal and external barriers thrown up along the way. The teen age years are difficult and tenuous years. Teens are on the brink of adulthood, and are experiencing a new level of self-awareness, independence, and long term goal setting, not to mention all of the challenges involved with peer pressure, experimentation, and the numerous issues. The teens years are hard, no doubt, and tender formulative years as well. Having worked with troubled high school kids for the past five years, my philosophy was/ is to listen, respect, and find the positive attributes of every student I worked with, which I was often criticized for. Too often adults (and other teens) label teenagers as manipulative, lazy, or self-serving without even taking the time to get to know them.  As we know, too frequently a teen is labeled by their clothes, hair, grades, and of course sexual orientation, to name a few. Once the label is out there, that’s all there is (in many peoples’ perceptions)

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a positive or negative label, the other components of that individual are overshadowed, and therein lies our challenge. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not negative qualities and compromise only a piece of who a person really is.

We are on the cusp of very positive change. Over the past few weeks, I have met with many people connected to ALSO. It’s been incredibly helpful of them to allow me to “interrogate” them about their respective perception(s) of ALSO on many different levels. Although the feedback has varied greatly, there is a common red thread.

We are needed and wanted in this community.

We have not yet reached our full potential

Yes, we have made some mistakes along the way, but the time is NOW to move on to become the forefront agency that we are capable of re-establishing.  We have the capacity to build bridges, educate the community at large, and help kids deal with and ultimately embrace his or her sexuality.

ALSO is at a critical point in our history. We have to re-position ourselves in the community. We have to reach out to donors and friends.  Mend old fences. Build new bridges. We must advocate and be the leader, ready and poised, to face or respond to issues that affect our mission.

ALSO Out Youth’s mission is to promote the health, safety, and personal growth of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning youth. We strive to end all forms of violence, harassment, and discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

 It is our vision that all persons are able to fulfill their potential and live their lives with honesty and dignity, without having to pretend, lie, or hide due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

I was never a cheerleader nor do I ever aspire to become one. HOWEVER, I firmly believe we can do this. The GLBTQ youth need us and we must step up and do more. More advocacy, more leadership, more support, and more outreach. What can you do?

 We need your support, simply put. We need your financial support, your morale support, your voice, your time, etc. If you have an idea, let me know.

Please help us help our youth. They need us.

On an entirely different note, I need to send out my sincerest gratitude to two people who have truly made this transition easier.

Stephen Warne has been amazing. His compassion, insight, and dedication to ALSO are so evident. We all owe him our thanks for running the agency single handedly for five months. He is a vital committed team player. I think Stephen is a tremendous asset to ALSO and that we make a happy productive, and compatible team.

Ed Town, former Chair of the Board of Directors has spent countless hours giving me ALSO’s history, the good, the bad, and the possible. I’ve learned so much, on a personal AND professional level from him. I appreciate his dedication and commitment to ALSO and he has been a terrific mentor, even though he didn’t sign up for that job!

 

It's great to be here and I look forward to meeting  you!

Sue Westcott

 

 

All about town on Friday night you could find one of four dinner parties going on at various Sarasota digs to benefit ALSO Out Youth called "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." Supporters attended the casually fun events with hosts Nishit Patel, Jarred Wilson and Mark Steinwachs and executive director Candace Sorensen.

Read more: ALSO event featured in Herald Tribune

The club's focus is to promote dialogue and respect among Cardinal Mooney's diverse student body and to be advocates for inclusion in the school and in the community.

Read more: Diversity Club at Cardinal Mooney High School

"Unfortunately, hate crimes cut across every group," said Stephen Warne, program coordinator for Also Youth, a youth center helping gay and lesbian students. "It's not just gay and lesbian students that have problems dealing with violence."

Read more: Unity Days bring students together