Programs & Services > David Kelley Services > Subtopic
LGBTQ Interniship Project
September, 20008
Family Service Toronto announces an opportunity for progressive counselling / mental health agencies or programs to add or expand effective and inclusive service to LGBTQ clients.
The Opportunity:
Family Service Toronto (FST) is engaged in a national search for partner organizations wanting to add or expand capacity to serve Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Trans/Queer (LGBTQ) clients and communities.
There are two phases in the project.
In the first phase, recently graduated LGBTQ MSWs will intern for 12 months with the David Kelley LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS counselling programs of Family Service Toronto while partner organizations outside Toronto are supported to ready themselves for increased LGBTQ service capacity.
In the second, these partner agencies will hire a post internship MSW graduate and continue organizational change as needed. Agencies will receive $15,000 to offset costs in the first year of employment of the intern.
This is a three year project with an intern being trained and matched to an agency in each of the three years.
The Need:
In most Canadian cities, especially smaller ones, LGBTQ people, though present in significant numbers are rarely able to find LGBTQ-identified or queer-positive programs to provide individual, couple and family counselling. There are very few dedicated LGBTQ counselling programs or services in agencies across the country. Vulnerable LGBTQ people face a hit and miss situation when it comes to finding a program that is competent, informed and gay. While gay-positive straight programs often provide excellent service there is typically no LGBTQ option for the community, especially for people of modest or low income.
Family Service Toronto’s David Kelley LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS Counselling Programs were the result of a merger with the Toronto Counselling Centre for Lesbians and Gays. This merger created strong LGBTQ programs in FST and required FST to find solutions about how to support LGBTQ programs and learn to integrate an anti-homophobia approach into an anti-oppression framework for service and community involvement With generous support from the Counselling Foundation of Canada and CERIC we can now share this expertise.
FST Supports:
Along with supporting the development of more and better LGBTQ services for partner organizations, Family Service Toronto can help increase inclusion of LGBTQ people at the program, organizational and board levels. FST’s experience strongly suggests that sustained change happens as a result of both professional and organizational development. Family Service Toronto will support the partner agency and others interested in conducting a self-assessment and assist in the creation of an anti-homophobic change process that involves policy and governance; programs and systems; and training for staff and volunteers at all levels.
Get Involved:
Family Service Toronto invites interested organizations from outside Toronto committed to serving LGBTQ communities with distinction and innovation, and interested in introducing and/or developing LGBTQ counselling services within their organization, to submit a letter of interest to Family Service Toronto.
Information about the application and fuller details of the project can be found on our website at www.familyservicetoronto.org.
The three agencies selected for this project will commit to full organizational engagement and to providing the trained post MSW intern with full-time employment. We will conduct a parallel process to identify interns who will then be matched with partner agencies.
Both the interns and the agencies will be asked to make a minimum two year commitment to employment, post internship.
Application Deadline for year one: December 1, 2008
How to submit a letter of intent
Internship FAQ
Agencies who are interested in the proposal but are challenged to meet all the criteria are invited to call and discuss their situation:
Laurie Chesley, MSW, RSW
Manager, FST David Kelley Services: 416.595.0307 ext. 272
PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS WIDELY.
To arrange for counselling, please call our Service Access Unit, Tel: 416.595.9618
