On the 17th "Life Guard" (guarding people lives) training for youth that focuses on anti-bullying, oppression issues and suicide prevention
May 17th 4:00pm-8:00pm
Warehouse 21
Community Panel
May 17th 7:00-8:00 pm
Warehouse 21
Training for Providers
May 18th 8:30 am-1:00 pm
Santa Fe Lodge
For the first time since it began in 1994, the Trevor Project is coming to New Mexico, and not a moment too soon.
Being a teen is hard, and sometimes life becomes too much. In the US alone, suicide is the third greatest cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds. To make matters worse LGBT (lesbian gay bisexual and transgender) youth are four times more likely to commit suicide during their teenage years; they are 8.4 times more likely to try and succeed after being rejected by their family.
The Trevor project travels around the country to spread information about this horrible problem and the ways it can be helped and prevented, but it has never been to New Mexico (which has one of the higher LGBT suicide rates in the country according to Sky Gray, executive director of SFMC) until now. On May 17 and 18 the Trevor Project joins hands with the Santa Fe Mountain Center for two days of suicide prevention and awareness training.
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The first day (4:00 to 6:00 pm May 17 at Warehouse21) consists of life guard training for youth, which will include discussion about bullying, oppression ,the effect they can have on teens self-esteem, how they effect the risk of suicide and how to protect not only yourself but your peers and friends. Later that day (7 to 8pm) will be a community panel to face Santa Fe's issues.
"The Panel will discuses what we are doing right, what we need to work on and how to work on it," Sky gray tells SFR.
The second day (8:30am to 1:00pm May 18 at the lodge) is catered to the parents and those who provider for LGBT teens. The Trevor Project will even be sending an instructor from LA to lead this workshop.
The makers of a short film Trevor founded the Trevor Project in 1994.The hotline was established when the short film was getting ready to be shown on HBO and the producers and filmmakers needed a way for LGBT youth who may relate to the story to find help and stay safe, so the phone lines were opened and afterwards they never closed. Now not only does The Trevor Project have a phone line youth can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week but a written section called Dear Trevor, where youth can find non-urgent help and an answer board for any problem they may have.
For every successful suicide there is 100-200 more attempts before success according to the Trevor Project. As one can imagine this is a highly understated and tragic problem in modern day culture. Luckily for all LGBT and questioning youth there is an answer or at least shoulder on which to cry: the Trevor Project. There are many 24-hour suicide hotlines but the Trevor project is the first and to date only hotline dedicated to LGBT and questioning youth.
All teens face emotional problems, and all thoughts of suicide and depression should be taken very seriously. A teenager does not try to commit suicide, just considering should be a warning sign that they need help and quickly! There is a crises hotline in New Mexico for all teens along with the Trevor Project for LGBT and they will not make you do anything that you don't want to, they will not tell your parents and they can help. If you are in an emotional crisis or you just need to blow off steam, please call!
Santa Fe crises response lines
(505) 820-6333
1-888-920-6333
The Trevor Project
866-4-U-TREVOR
http://thetrevorproject.org
