S O L A C E
 
Monthly workshops and conversations centered on themes  of queer joy, identity, and belonging.
  
Solace is a monthly workshop and conversation series in support of the queer community. It is geared towards adults aged 18+. It was developed in response to the closure of Fredericton's Clinic 554 to provide emotional and mental health support to those affected. Facilitators have consulted with community members in order to decide on relevant themes for workshops and guided discussions. Examples of themes include: belonging, healthy relationships, coming out, queer joy, communication, parenting/family.
 
Potential outcomes of this group will be those of increased self-esteem, sense of belonging, and mental well- being for participants, as well as that of decreased social isolation. These will be measured by anonymous feedback surveys to follow each session.
 
Those interested in facilitating this group should be a member of a helping profession (i.e. social work, counselling, community mental health support) and identify as a member of or ally to the LGBTQ2S+ community. Potential facilitators should be skilled and experienced in group facilitation. Training would consist of discussion of contextual issues (clinic closure, issues affecting New Brunswick's LGBTQ2S+ community), the importance of personal pronouns, and content-specific information. Regional facilitators are encouraged to discuss future workshop themes with their community members in order to maintain its relevance for participants in that area. Workshops may take place on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on community need.
 
Solace can take place face-to-face or virtually (using Zoom or another video-chat platform). Face-to-face sessions offer further opportunities for connection, such as creating a collaborative art project or sharing a meal. While COVID restrictions remain in place, however, virtual sessions can offer connection, community, and information-sharing. The share-screen function on Zoom provides the opportunity to share slideshows or videos with the group, which would be beneficial.
 
The maximum number of participants per workshop: 12
This number reflects the ideal size group in order to facilitate engaging, meaningful, and intimate conversations.