Like Time Out Youth’s in-person discussion groups, Q Chat Space online discussion groups give youth a dedicated space to come together and discuss topics relevant to their identities and experiences with other youth – it’s just online! It is not a forum. It is live and chat-based; there is no video or audio. Everyone is chatting during the same pre-scheduled time.
Go to www.qchatspace.org to check it out and see what groups are available this week.
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.
Want to see what Q Chat Space looks like in action? Check out this video!
Additional Details
We want people who use Q Chat Space to feel safe, get support, and make friends. In order to make sure that happens, we need to have clear and mutually agreed upon ways to interact with each other. We ask every person who joins groups on Q Chat Space to agree 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. If you have questions about this, we are happy to explain the process and keep you informed as we make a report.
Here are a few additional guidelines specific to online spaces to help everyone feel and be safe in Q Chat Space.
- We ask for your name in the sign-up, but we also ask for a username that will be used within the chat platform. Your username is what will be seen by the other participants in the online discussion.
- Be careful with humor. Even if you think it’s obvious that you are joking, it can be hard to tell. If it’s meant to be funny, make that clear by adding ‘lol’ or ‘jk.’
- Remember that what happens online is as serious as in real life. Don’t say anything in a discussion group that you wouldn’t be comfortable saying in person.
- Don’t share personal information (like your birth date, phone number, or social media profile) until/unless you feel really confident that you trust the other person.
- Trust your own instincts. If you think that it might be unwise to share something, don’t do it. If someone says or does something that makes you feel uncomfortable, ask them to stop. If they don’t stop, let a facilitator know.
If you have any feedback to share about another participant, a facilitator, a particular group, something that happened in a group, or anything else, email QChatSpace@lgbtcenters.org.