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Gender Fluid Friends (GFFs) are a group of middle school students who identify as gender fluid. The group is currently composed of 12 students who are interested in meeting to learn a variety of tools to help them be productive citizens in their school.

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Students participating in the peer group will demonstrate mastery in the following mindsets and behaviors.
M 1.

Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

M 2.

Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

M 4.

Self-confidence in ability to succeed

Social Skills

B-SMS 1.

Responsibility for self and

actions

B-SS 1.

Effective oral and written

communication skills and

listening skills

B-SS 2.

Positive, respectful and supportive

relationships with students who are

similar to and different from them

B-SS 3.

Positive relationships with adults to

support success

B-SMS 5.

Perseverance to achieve long-

and short-term goals

B-SS 5.

Ethical decision-making and social

responsibility

B-SS 6.

Effective collaboration and

cooperation skills

B-SMS 7.

Effective coping skills

B-SS 7.

Leadership and teamwork skills to

work effectively in diverse group.

B-SS 9.

Social maturity and behaviors

appropriate to the situation and

environment

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                        Publicity - News You Can Use!

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                        Publicity - News You Can Use!

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Based on the outreach of desired support.  A mass call out to all district families will inform families about the Gender Fluid Friends Peer Group. The district and campuses will place a link on their websites under parent resources with a google doc link where parents and students can complete form if they wish to be a part of the Gender Fluid Friends Peer Group.  Once their information is reviewed a campus counselor will reach out to the parent/guardian with additional information regarding the group meeting dates, times and other logistics. A hard copy of the link information will be sent home in student beginning of the year packets for parents/guardians to complete in the event they did not get the mass call out or if they have not had an opportunity to visit the parent resource page on the district and campus websites.

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Once students along with a parent/guardian have completed entering a request to be a part of the peer group via the google doc link found on the district and campus websites they will then be contacted by a campus counselor at which time a few more questions will be asked to determine a student's readiness to be a part of the peer group.

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In addition to completing the google doc and hard copy information request parents/guardians will also be required to complete the consent forms page 1 of 2 in order for their child to participate in the peer group for the duration of the six week sessions.

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In addition to completing the google doc and hard copy information request parents/guardians will also be required to complete the consent forms page 2 of 2 in order for their child to participate in the peer group for the duration of the six week sessions.

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Group norms will be adhered to in order to achieve the best use of our time. At no time will any information discussed be shared with anyone outside of the peer group.

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Stage 1: After each peer group session there will be debrief time where students can share about what they have learned and what more they want to learn about.  We want to make sure that student's voices are being heard and that we address issues that are important for their growth.

Stage 2: Each student will be required to keep a writing journal for where they will document each learning session.  They will also keep handouts in the journal.  Counselors will be required to keep conferring logs of student participation during each session.  The conferring logs will give provide direct feedback of student participation and other session ideas. It will also give counselors an idea of what debrief questions to ask as a means of a student growth check.

Stage 3: Students will participate in a 'Who Am I' worksheet as well as a Post-Assessment where they will be able to detail their learning. There will be additional reflective questions at the end of the Post-Assessment for students to answer. These questions will drive next steps for future sessions and groups.

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Make sure that each student and staff member understand that the group will be participative lead and that everyone in the group has a the ability to lead the discussions and activities.  We will function as an equal team.  If there is an issue we talk it out, our rules can be tweaked at anytime in order to get the best participation out of everyone.

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Installation of Hope.

Universality.

Imparting Information.

Altruism.

The Corrective Recapitulation of the Primary Family Group.

Development of Socializing Techniques.

Imitative behavior.

Interpersonal Learning.

Group Cohesiveness.

Catharsis.

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Counselors want to always maintain what is in the best interest of students. They want to make sure they address obstacles they may be a hinderance to student achievement and assist students in making good informed decisions regardless of individual or small group setting.
b.

Provide support for students, including individual and small-

group counseling, during times of transition, heightened

stress, critical change or other situations impeding student

success

c.

Explain the difference between appropriate short-term

counseling and inappropriate long-term therapy

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Ethics may be a little different depending on the setting. However, counselors should always make sure that students well being and safety are a priority. Our ethics are our ability to govern ourselves between right and wrong making sure confidentiality is always practiced with student concerns and issues.

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American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf

American School Counselor Association (2021).  ASCA student standards; Mindsets and behaviors for student success.(https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

An initiative of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. (n.d.). Teen Talk. Self-Esteem – Teen Talk (teentalksa.org)

Inspired-2-Transition. (2015, December 5). ‘Under The Surface’ Empathy Film. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3xnmAQj4j8

Missouri Comprehensive Guidance &  Counseling Programs
(2015). Linking school success to life success.  https://learn-us-east-1-prod-fleet02-

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.