Belleville’s gay-straight youth group thriving through word of mouth

By Manuela Garay-Giraldo

Belleville’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) youth group SAY OutLoud is thriving and organizer Eric Hargreaves says it is mainly through the power of word of mouth.

There are approximately 30 members who currently show up on a regular basis to the group’s weekly meetings. This is a significant increase over the 12 members who were attending the group at this time last year.

“I don’t really know how it happened, but I’m happy it did,” said Hargreaves. “We were questioning whether the group needed to continue, since most of the kids who were coming were in college and they don’t really need that much help socializing.”

According to Hargreaves one major factor that seems to have helped the group increase its numbers is that GSA groups were implemented in a few high schools in the Quinte. Not all were successful, however young people learned through teachers and friends that a GSA group in Belleville exists.
“GSA groups in high schools are so important, even if the group is not successful and doesn’t have a high attendance rate,” said Hargreaves.

“Having them present creates a sense of safety in the school. It sends a message that bullying gay teens will not be tolerated and it significantly decreases violent homophobic incidents.”

Many teachers at different high schools in the Quinte area have become aware of SAY OutLoud and directed students to the group.
“We have a mom that car pools and brings the kids home after the meetings, so that they can stay in town after school,” said Hargreaves. “She even provides meals every second week.”

The group meetings consist of three parts. The first is a ‘check in’, when those attending share one good thing and one bad thing they have experienced throughout the week. The second part is eating a free meal provided by the organizers. The final part of the meeting is a discussion on the different issues gay youth are facing today.

For Emma Khun, 18, a member since January, the best part of the meeting is the social aspect.

“I like that I get to meet new people that I wouldn’t normally talk to,” said Khun.

The group brings youth from all of the Quinte area together.

“We have kids who come from Belleville, obviously, but also Trenton, Stirling even Frankford,” said Hargreaves.

Hargreaves believes that many factors came into play and the success of the group cannot be pinpointed to one specific reason.

“They talk about the tipping point, that when an idea has enough momentum it just keeps rolling,” said Hargreaves.

“I don’t know what brought that tipping point, word of mouth probably, but we are very happy to have the results we have.”

The group meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Belleville. For more information, visit www.sayoutloud.ca or contact Hargreaves at 613-689-5141 or through e-mail at eric@sayoutloud.ca.