Training and Technical Assistance
Creating Inclusive Learning Environments for All
At the Q Center, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty at the University of Washington. In response to valuable feedback from our community, we have identified a critical area that demands attention — the classroom.
Addressing Challenges in Educational Spaces
Our recent survey revealed that many LGBTQ+ students feel least safe in classrooms due to experiences of misgendering, deadnaming, and other forms of marginalization. To address this pattern and promote a more inclusive campus, the Q Center has shifted its priorities to include supporting the continued learning of departments, units, and schools across the university.
Intersectional, Anti-Violence Training
Our comprehensive training takes an intersectional, anti-violence approach to create positive and lasting change. We cover a range of crucial topics, including:
- Social-emotional learning frameworks
- Impacts of negative messaging on LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty
- Legacies of historical violence and tools of institutional oppression
- Current information and best practices on gender identity and expression
- Student, staff, and faculty rights, along with state policies
- Restorative justice intervention frameworks
- Applied learning through intervention scenario practice
Unraveling Histories, Reimagining Possibilities
Our goal is to untangle complicated histories and mistellings of gender, offering a critical perspective on what it means to be a safe space for LGBTQ+ people, including students, staff, faculty, and beyond. By collaboratively reimagining possibilities for your department, unit, or school, we aim to help you create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.
Tailored Training for Your Needs
We offer a variety of training modules, many of which have been successfully implemented across numerous departments at the UW. These modules include sessions on:
- Queer and Trans Competency, Inclusion, and Safety
- Consent based practices in Educational Spaces
- Safer sex education
- Train the Trainer
- Policy and procedure development
We will work with you to ensure that each session, workshop, or module fits the unique needs of your department, classroom, or group.
Affordable and Accessible
Recognizing the importance of our work and the shared responsibility of investing in safe and inclusive spaces, we offer our training and technical assistance services at an affordable rate of $250 per hour. Additionally, we provide 5 complimentary technical assistance hours, which can include policy writing consultancy.
Need training to be virtual? We offer virtual and asynchronous training and professional development.
Contact Us
Take the first step towards creating a more inclusive educational space. For inquiries or to schedule a training session, please contact us at qcentertraining@gmail.com with “training request with [your unit]” as the subject line.
In the body of your email, please outline the nature of your request. Consider sharing what prompted the request, goals you have for your department/unit/organization, and your budget for the training.
Join us in building a campus community that embraces diversity and ensures every individual feels valued and respected in the pursuit of knowledge.
External Training
If your organization is ready to take proactive steps toward inclusivity and create a safer space for LGBTQ+ individuals, please reach out to us at brennonh@uw.edu. We look forward to collaborating with you to build a more understanding, supportive, and diverse community.
Testimonials: Making a Positive Impact
What Others Are Saying About Our Training and Technical Assistance
At the Q Center, our commitment to creating inclusive spaces has left a lasting impact on individuals, departments, and organizations. Don’t just take our word for it; hear what others have to say about the positive effects of our training and technical assistance:
Testimonial 1: Sisterhood Initiative
“The Sisterhood Initiative invited the Q Center to facilitate a training for the SI Peer Mentor Program. The Q Center’s approach was informative and provided an overview that contextualized the issues LGBTQ+ students face in their educational experiences. What makes the Q Center training impactful is not just the information that is shared, but the way it is presented. Students not only had the opportunity to learn more about LGBTQ+ students and identity, but also got to see the ways in which those experiences and identities connected to their own. By hearing personal stories and practicing scenarios, our mentorship team was able to develop stronger ideas of allyship and ways they could better support LGBTQ+ students. We will continue inviting the Q Center to be an essential part of our students’ learning and growth in our program.”
— Lauren Cataldo, Student Success Coordinator, Sisterhood Initiative, University of Washington
Testimonial 2: Brotherhood Initiative
“The Brotherhood Initiative would like to give our appreciation and thanks to the Q Center. They delivered a comprehensive training tailored for our organization, offering not just insights about their center but also equipping us with resources and actionable steps we can take to ensure we provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students.”
— D’Andre Garcia-Stubbs, Student Success Coordinator, Brotherhood Initiative, University of Washington
Testimonial 3: ECO Internship Program
The ECO Internship Program requested a workshop from the Q Center to train ECO students who will be working with youth. Joie was incredibly prepared and engaging! They covered critical topics regarding working with youth from a strength-based perspective and our responsibilities as an adult to be allies to youth. As a group, we engaged in reframing harmful perspectives and myths about youth and how to cultivate consent-based practices with young people. This is an incredibly important workshop that anyone working with youth needs!
-Dr Kayla Mendoza Chui, Community Partner Liaison, College of Education, University of Washington