LGBTQ+ affinity groups
Our affinity groups are peer-led spaces designed to bring LGBTQ+ parents, kids, and families together in community. Each group creates a welcoming environment where folks can connect with others who share similar intersecting identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences. Whether virtual or in-person, these groups offer opportunities for support, connection, and celebration of our diverse queer families.
Check out our event calendar here for our current and updated affinity groups and their schedules.
Workshops and Trainings
WORKSHOPS
OFC’s workshops offer a 1-2 hour, interactive opportunity to gather support and resources on both LGBTQ+ specific and general parenting topics in an LGBTQ+ friendly environment. Our workshops are typically hosted in partnership with experts, partner organizations, and professional facilitators.
Typically, our workshops are offered virtually on evening weekdays and like all of our programs, are free. You can register for and find all of our upcoming workshops on our ‘event calendar’ here.
Past workshop topics have included:
Check out the affinity groups available this month:
Legal rights and protections for non-traditional families
Positive Parenting Practices
Family-building, including:
- Adoption & Foster-to-Adoption
- Alternative Conception
- Surrogacy
DIY
Second-Parent Adoption
Coming Out to Your Children
Talking with children about their biological origins
Child Development
Check out the support groups available this month:
Triple P Parenting Series
In addition to one-time workshops, we also offer multi-week courses in positive parenting.
For many years we’ve offered Triple P: Positive Parenting Program. For twelve weeks, a small group (usually less than ten participants) is facilitated by extensively trained staff. All curricular material, as well as childcare and a warm meal, is provided as part of the program, which is offered free of charge.
As with all our work, we ask that participants who are able consider donating what they can to enable us to continue to offer these vital resources to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them.
Participants in these series find them an invaluable place to build community among fellow parents and caregivers, and an extremely rare, safe space in which to talk about parenting fails and foibles.
The curriculum is evidence-based and focuses on strengthening the parent-child bond, deepening understanding of early childhood social and emotional development, and proactive means by which adults can help teach – or later, coach – young people in developing effective self-regulation.
Policy & Advocacy
Our advocacy is focussed on increasing visibility and equity for all LGBTQ families.
Education
We believe that schools should be a positive place to learn where all students are invited and encouraged to be their full selves.
