Program areas at GLSEN
Communications and public voice department provides the public, press and Glsen constituents with regular communications and creates marketing and promotional materials about Glsen, inc.'s mission and efforts to create safe and affirming k-12 learning communities that ensure all students, including lgbtq+ young people, in the u.s. education system can thrive and reach their full potential. The department provides the public, media and Glsen constituents information regarding Glsen's mission and programs. The department develops effective messaging, trains spokespeople to effectively discuss Glsen's issues, places media stories across all platforms, develops marketing and communications campaigns for Glsen's public education campaigns, resources and programs.
Glsen's education program department and youth programs department mobilize educators and lgbtq+ young people in schools to advocate for positive school transformation and the implementation of best practices that advance racial, gender, and disability justice outcomes in k-12 education systems. The department provides technical assistance and capacity-building support for program development and advocacy on lgbtq+ issues in schools (educator guides, curricular resources, training and educator/student led initiatives) that enhance educator and student capacity to create affirming and lgbtq+ inclusive classrooms and schools that Glsen envisions.the department supports the strength and impact of youth-led initiatives including student clubs (commonly known as "gsas", gender & sexuality alliances or gay-straigh alliances), the well-known national days of action, including day of silence and solidarity week, Glsen's national student council, and our signature resources that include changing the game, safe space kit (glsen's guide to being an ally to lgbtq+ students), and "ready, set, respect!" Glsen's elementary school toolkit.glsen's education program department and youth programs department create toolkits, and our chapter-based professional development program.
The research institute department conducts original research, analyzes data and advocates nationally and locally for systems to apply our research on the experience of lgbtq+ young people in k-12 schools and educational best practices. The department issues constituent engagement strategies that advance Glsen's work to create safe, inclusive and affirming k-12 schools for lgbtq+ youth. Including Glsen's biennial survey of lgbtq+ students, the national school climate survey, now in its 25th year. The department evaluates Glsen programs and recommends efforts to improve Glsen's education and youth programs. The department produces research-based recommendations to improve school climate, and provides tools and technical assistance to government agencies, educators, students and local advocates to conduct research in order to document student experiences, improve school climate, and student wellbeing and success across the country.research primary and secondary education. In partnership with other Glsen departments, the research institute organizes internal and partner capacity to engage with multilateral processes and international institutions to further norms of acceptance and inclusion for lgbtq+ youth in education around the world, and to ensure their inclusion in global efforts to make education accessible to all.
Public policy department advocates directly with public officials at all levels of government and within coalitions for policy and legislative change that will create and support safe and affirming school environments for all students, particularly those who are lgbgtq+, transgender, nonbinary, black, indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities and from other communities that experience marginalization. Community mobilization department provides capacity building support, technical assistance, and strategic planning guidance to volunteers, chapter leaders and community-based advocates working to create safe, affirming and inclusive schools in their communities. These volunteers, chapter leaders and advocates include over 34 accredited chapters that work to realize Glsen's mission at the community level. The Glsen community mobilization department oversees and manages the chapter network. The chapter network works directly with school administrators, educators, students, and community partners to deliver programming to advance positive school transformation where schools are at minimum safe and ultimately places of liberation for all young people. Chapters provide direct training for educators and hold events that convene student gsas and other constituencies to build their capacity to improve school climate. They also conduct initiatives to increase awareness of Glsen's mission and fundraise to support their local work. Executive department sets Glsen's strategic direction and supervises its programmatic work. The national collaborations developed by the executive team amplify the organization's impact, increasing the reach of Glsen's research and curricula, and increasing influence in the k-12 education world and the racial, gender, and disability justice, civil rights, and lgbtq+ movements.