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May 4, 2023

Leading & Learning with Pride:

A Workshop on Respectful, Inclusive, and Affirming Care for 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors

2SLGBTQ+ older adults have faced decades of discrimination and face unique challenges as they age, including barriers and stigma in long-term care and seniors services. In response, The 519 collaborated with City of Toronto Seniors Services and Long-Term Care (SSLTC), the Senior Pride Network Toronto (SPN), and a community Working Group to revitalize a 2SLGBTQ+ training Tool Kit called Leading & Learning with Pride.

In redeveloping the Tool Kit, The 519 and partners identified a pressing need for more interactive education for SSLTC staff. The content of the new Tool Kit needed to be brought to life in ways that drew on the lived experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ seniors, and engaged staff at all levels of the organization in meaningful dialogue on 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion.

To meet this need, The 519, SSLTC, and SPN secured funding from Employment and Social Development Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Using these funds, and with support from SPN and SSLTC, The 519 drew on the content of the new Tool Kit to design, deliver, and evaluate a series of 14 pilot educational workshops for SSLTC staff. The goal of the workshops was to promote respectful, inclusive, and affirming care within the City of Toronto’s 10 long-term care homes and Community Programs.

Funds were awarded in March 2022 to support the 1-year pilot project. This final evaluation report provides an overview of the project and its results, including strengths, limitations, and recommendations for ongoing training to advance Tool Kit implementation and 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion at SSLTC.

This report was developed by staff at The 519 and SSLTC, with support from the SPN and members of the Working Group.