
The Safe Space Kit is Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network's guide provides strategies for being an ally to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and provides concrete strategies to support LGBT students.
Young people under 26 years of age, born after June 5, 1981, have never known a world without HIV. In general, sexual health education programs offered in schools reach students between 13 and18 years old and vary in their content and comprehensiveness.
Many new college and university students arrive on campus with little to no knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and ways to prevent and treat them.
Overall, older youth, regardless of whether they’re enrolled in college or university, are disproportionately impacted by HIV with:
Entering college/university represents a major time of transition for young people and the need for efforts to increase HIV/AIDS awareness is especially important on college and university campuses.
For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students still developing their sexual identity or coming out for the first time, the campus environment can be challenging. Being LGBTQ and a person of color can add another layer of isolation depending on the type of campus setting.
College and university staff, faculty, and administrators should engage and support this age group to be proactive about their sexual health. While there are not a lot of evidence based practices for this age group in HIV prevention, a number of universities around the country have developed their own practices for to supporting LGBTQ students. Consider these approaches:
The rates of HIV testing for college-aged youth are low.
In understanding the importance of offering HIV prevention and treatment services in venues rather than on-campus health services, college and university administrators could:
If LGBTQ students of color feel more acknowledged on campus, they may feel more comfortable to seek services like HIV testing. To create more affirming and inclusive campus environments, college and university administrators could: