Stop LGBTQ Suicide through Parent Education

We wanted to give you a heartfelt update on our mission to make a real impact in the lives of LGBTQ children facing the tough challenges of suicidal ideation and self-harm. We know these struggles can be incredibly daunting, and we're committed to providing the support and resources needed to make a difference.

While traditional suicide prevention trainings are a great start, they often miss the mark when it comes to addressing the unique needs of those dealing with chronic suicidal ideation and self-harm, especially among LGBTQ youth. That's where we come in! Your donations to this program are doing something truly special – we're taking the foundation laid by QPR and expanding it to give parents of LGBTQ children the in-depth information and resources they need to help their kids not just survive, but thrive.

The Mama Dragons team has been hard at work, using the funds provided to create the blueprint for our suicide prevention curriculum. We've also been busy writing grants to help secure additional funds that will help us bring this vision to life through an engaging eLearning platform. The initial program outline is complete, but we're not done yet – we need your continued support to take the next crucial steps.

Your generous donations have already made a significant impact, and we're so grateful for your ongoing support. Together, we're building a program that will make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ children and their families. Thank you for being a crucial part of this journey – we couldn't do it without you!

Links:

• https://www.mamadragons.org/

The Mama Dragons team would like to thank all of our generous donors who have already donated and continue to donate to the “Stop LGBTQ Suicide Through Parent Education” campaign. We are very grateful for your support and generosity. Your donations have allowed Mama Dragons to start the groundwork for this vital parenting education program. With continued campaigning and donations, we will be able to continue creating and market this valuable course that will support parents as they work to keep their LGBTQ children safe. 

The time is NOW to get this course up and running. The LGBTQ community has always faced discrimination, violence/bullying, and insufficient legal protections. Yet, the threats are so severe that The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. in June 2023. Beyond today’s alarming and dangerous anti-LGBTQ climate, other longstanding statistics hold steady: LGBTQ youth are at least 4x more likely to attempt suicide. Your donations help us meet this vital need parents have to support the LGBTQ children in their lives. This course will bring hope to parents, like this mother, who shares her story of experiencing suicidal ideation with her LGBTQ son:

“Having a child struggle with self harm and suicidal ideation is such a hard, lonely journey sometimes. I wish that in the beginning I had been armed with more LGBTQ specific information and tools. I didn’t even understand that my child was at higher risk just because he was a member of the LGBTQ community. I know I would have felt more confident and been able to support my son better if I had access to more LGBTQ specific resources in one place so I could become more educated and support him through his mental health journey.”

LGBTQ children often go through periods of suicidal ideation and self-harm. The Advanced Suicide Prevention course will dive in-depth into topics, such as:

• The unique challenges of chronic suicidal ideation
• Self-harm and how it may or may not be related to suicidal ideation
• The differences in warning signs between younger children, young adults, and older adults
• Intersectionality and how multiple identities (such as being of a minority race and LGBTQ) increase suicide risk factors
• Self-care for parents

The funds you have donated have helped us begin the necessary steps to create and launch this course, including mapping out the topics, researching the best ways to educate parents on LGBTQ suicidality and self-harm, and networking with key organizations to ensure this resource gets to the hands of those who need it. We have a ways to go to reach our needed funding goal and will continue to count on support from people like you. 

Links:

• Check out what we're up to!