Using a 4-H extension model to cultivate an environment in which Latino LGBTQ youths can generate solidarity against social isolation and oppression

This project is part of an effort to learn from and promote global approaches to addressing social isolation. Using critical consciousness theory, which focuses on the role of oppression and privilege in creating and sustaining social and individual dysfunction, the team from Brazil, Peru, and the United States will adapt a Latin American model of training youths to combat social isolation experienced by their LGBTQ peers through: (1) developing and implementing a telenovela training toolkit; (2) developing five videos based on the training; and (3) piloting the training among young leaders of the 4-H Latino Outreach program to become LGBTQ allies. Latino LGBTQ youths experience heightened social isolation, affecting their sense of belonging and their ability to engage and connect with each other and placing them at higher health risk. Peers can provide alternate or supplemental support systems to mitigate these negative impacts. The key deliverables will be working with LGBTQ youths to develop the five videos and the telenovela toolkit to train leaders of the 4-H program to become LGBTQ peers and allies; piloting the training among a cohort of Latino youths who participate in the 4-H Outreach Leadership Institute at Oregon State University; and assessing the impact of the training.