SAFE ZONE TRAINING

Student Activities is excited to announce we now host Safe Zone training. Our Safe Zone training is modeled after many other leading collegiate Safe Zone programs with three emphasized goals for its participants:

1. Understand student development theory as it pertains to multicultural competency.
2. Serve as a conduit to other departments and resources through intervention during times of crisis.
3. Create a visible network of support specifically for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) individuals and their allies as well as other historically marginalized groups.

Essentially, Safe Zone Training creates ongoing educational experiences between Safe Zone trained individuals and the MSU community, encouraging students, faculty and staff to explore cultural identities, values and stereotypes in order to better understand how these issues impact the greater community. Throughout the semester, individuals who have been Safe Zone trained will receive developmental training related to interacting with students regarding sexual orientation, disabilities, ethnicity/culture, gender, religion and socio-economic/class status. Once an individual has completed the Safe Zone training, each person will be given a specially designed Safe Zone sticker and a certificate with an expiration date, to display in a location that is highly visible to students. By placing the Safe Zone symbol on doors or showing the symbol to others, Safe Zone trained individuals to signify a safe space to discuss LGBTQI issues and are extending the physical safe space for LGBTQI students and their allies throughout the campus.

SERVE AS A SAFE ZONE CONTACT

If you are interested in serving as a Safe Zone contact, please send an email to inclusion@moreheadstate.edu. 

SAFE ZONE GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY, STAFF AND GRADUATE STUDENTS

MSU faculty, staff and graduate students interested in Safe Zone Training must attend the Safe Zone orientation and training, a two to three three hour seminar that includes:

• An overview of the purpose of Safe Zone.
• Information on issues that LGBTQI students may be facing.
• Information on resources and referrals.
• An invitation to ask and answer questions

Safe Zone Training needs to be renewed every three years. Safe Zone trained individuals are identified by displaying the Safe Zone sticker at their work site. This is not to say that only people who have been Safe Zone trained can help LGBTQI students. It simply helps students identify individuals who:

1. Have received some training in LGBTQI issues.
2. Strive to reduce homophobia and heterosexism on a personal and professional level.
3. Are comfortable with LGBTQI students approaching them to talk about LGBTQI-related issues.
4. Have made a commitment to providing support and referrals to LGBTQI students while respecting the privacy of individuals who contact them.

The three-hour training session provides a foundation of knowledge needed to be an effective ally to LGBTQ students. Individuals who complete this training and then choose to post a Safe Zone sticker should be comfortable with LGBTQ students approaching them to talk about LGBTQ-related issues or to help students find campus or local resources.

If a department is interested in private training, please email inclusion@moreheadstate.edu. Training requests are needed at least two weeks in advance.

ALLY PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND STUDENT LEADERS

MSU registered student organizations, student leaders and undergraduate students interested in obtaining more knowledge and education about the LGBTQI community will need to attend Ally Training, which is a three-hour seminar that includes:

• An overview of the purpose of Safe Zone.
• Information on issues that LGBTQI students may be facing.
• Information on resources and referrals.
• An invitation to ask and answer questions

Students will receive an "ALLY" sticker, after completing the training program. Understanding language, experiences of LGBTQ people and ways to be an ALLY to the LGBTQI community will be the main focus of this training.