2011 Gender Spectrum Family Conference

July 29 - August 1, 2011 in Berkeley, California, USA

The Gender Spectrum Family Conference is the only event of its kind, a celebration of gender inclusiveness for all children and teens. A unique gathering dedicated solely to the needs of their families and loved ones, and the community of professionals and allies who surround them, the weekend is a transformative experience for all involved. Last year's gathering drew more than 350 participants from across the world, and 2011 promises to be larger still. The conference will once more offer programming at multiple levels organized into various areas of focus. Whether a five time attendee or a brand new member of the Gender Spectrum community, the 2011 event will have something for everyone!

Along with engaging workshops for adults, we also offer specific programming for teens (this year featuring separate activities for youth ages 13 - 15 and 16 - 19), and our fabulous Kids Camp for younger children. Brand new this year will be programming specifically designed to meet the needs of "Tweens" between the ages of 9 - 12. This wonderful gathering is all about making connections. For the children and teens, meeting one another creates a sense of belonging and deepened understanding of their own experience. For parents, caregivers and other adults, the recognition that you are not alone brings an empowering sense community and strength.

To learn more or to be added to our mailing list and receive conference updates, please email us at info@genderspectrum.org or call us at 510-567-3977

Conference Lunches: This year, we are asking participants to purchase tickets (above) to pre-order lunch for Saturday and Sunday. By doing so, it will allows us to better plan for meals during the weekend, as well as provide for dietary needs of our attendees. 

Host Hotel: We are once more fortunate to be holding this event at the Berkeley Marina Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center. Reservations at a special conference discount of $132 per night are available until July 8, 2011.  The hotel can be reached at 510-665-7122

Main Conference Registration Fees

This year’s fee structure (above) is designed to encourage family and caregiver participation as a unit. Our hope is that families will think about the entire support structure that is in place for their child or teen as they consider who should attend the event. “Family” in this case represents the entire constellation of adults providing that support. We encourage you to consider Family Registration; rather than having to purchase an individual ticket for each adult in a child’s or teen's life, Family Registration allows you the chance to bring the various individuals (up to six people 13 and older) that are playing key support roles. Please note that  Family Registration also means that beyond the first two people, any teens attending the Youth Conference will attend essentially for free. However, if only 1 adult and one or more teens are attending, purchase an individual ticket plus inividual Youth Tickets. Finally, remember that if you have children who will be attending  Kids Camp, this requires purchasing Kids Camp tickets above. If you have more than one child who will be coming, be sure to use the "Additional Child(ren)" ticket option for the second and any additional kids.

Payment: We have chosen to use PayPal to process conference registration fees due to its high level of security. To complete your order, choose the type and number of tickets your ordering, above. Click "order now," and fill in the requested information. Finally, click click on the PayPal or credit card icon. This will take you to a PayPal page. If you have your own PayPal account, you can use it; otherwise, there is an option for individuals who don't have one to use a credit card.

Don't use credit cards? If you do not use credit cards, you can pay for your registration by check or money order. Please send us a note with the type of registration(s) you wish to make, the names of the individuals who will be attending, the ages and preferred pronouns for any children or youth, and any other special information you wish for us to know. Use the selection process above to determine your costs, and mail a check made out "Gender Spectrum" to:

Gender Spectrum Conference Registration

539 Glen Drive

San Leandro CA 94577

Please note that scholarships are also available; see below for more information. If you have any questions about which type of registration is best for your family, please email us at info@genderspectrum.org.

The above Early Bird discounts apply through April 15.  After that standard rates apply as follows for the Individual, Family, and Day Passes:

Individual:     $250

Family:          $400 (up to six people 13 years of age and older)

Daily:             $175 (individual, single day attendance for either Saturday or Sunday)

Refunds: Gender spectrum will offer a full refund, minus a $25.00 processing fee, for cancellation until May 31, 2011. From June 1 until July 22, we will offer a 50% refund. Beginning July 23, we will be unable to provide any refunds.

Kids Camp Registration

The cost is $40 per child per day (discounts given for 2+ kids--please inquire!). Kids Camp scholarships are available. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. For further information or questions, email info@genderspectrum.org.

Hotel Accommodations

We encourage you to make reservations as early as possible. We have set aside a limited number of rooms at special conference rates; in the last three years we sold out our room block.

When making your reservations, please mention the Gender Spectrum Family Conference to obtain the reduced group rate of $132/night; reservations must be made no later than July 8, 2011 to secure the conference rate. Reserve your room now online, or call 510-665-7122.

Programming Overview

This year’s event offers three days of amazing programming that is designed to optimize the entire family’s experience. We hold workshops for older kids and teens in addition to parent-related sessions, while younger children have fun, supervised activities at our Kids Camp.

Adult Programming: Each year, the Gender Spectrum program offerings have expanded to meet the growing needs of families raising these amazing kids. For many parents and caregivers, the information and resources made available through our robust programming is a lifeline. Armed with new learning and perspectives, parents leave the conference with a renewed sense of purposefulness as they navigate the journey of raising gender nonconforming children.

Teen Conference 2011:  A separate track throughout the weekend, the Gender Spectrum Teen Conference features a variety of workshops, events, and activities for youth between the ages of 13 and 19. This year's conference will feature two tracks of programming, one for teens between 13 and 15 years of age, and the second for those 16 to 19. At times the two groups will be together, but many of the needs for these two groups differ, and this content must also adjust accordingly. Current plans includes a variety of workshop topics, including Talking about Gender, Making & Keeping Friends, Dating and Relationships, Transgender History, Youth Empowerment, Health Decisions and Information, Knowing Your Rights in Schools, Being an Advocate/Working for Justice, and Talking about Religion. In addition, the Teen Conference will feature a mentor component, specific sessions for siblings, opportunities for writing and reflecting, social events and more. A major priority for this year’s overall conference planning, we are extremely excited about the 2011 Gender Spectrum Teen Conference.

Gender Spectrum Kids Camp: While their parents attend workshops, children between the ages of 5 and 12 get to go to camp! The Gender Spectrum Kids Camp provides fun and well-supervised activities. We have two full days of creative games, engaging activities, outdoor fun and plenty of time for meeting and making friends. Experienced children’s educators and counselors will supervise a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, with options that appeal to all playing styles and rhythms. Similar to our new Teen Conference configuration, the Kids Camp will in reality be two distinct experiences, one for kids 5-8 years old and one for kids 9-12. Our new location offers a wonderful, yet easily supervised outdoor space that will allow exuberant youngsters to really get the wiggles out, and our expanded indoor spaces will feature a series of stations offering a wide selection of organized activities. Both groups will take advantage of this setting, but many of the activities will be geared developmentally to most effectively meet the needs and entertain these two groups of kids.

The Kid’s Camp will take place just upstairs from the adult workshop rooms. Our Kids Camp coordinators are CPR certified, have completed an extensive background check, and will be present at all times to supervise Kids Camp volunteers, many of whom are experienced teachers, youth service providers, and former camp counselors. The cost is $40 per child per day (discounts given for 2+ kids- please inquire!). Kids Camp scholarships are available. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. For further information or questions, email info@genderspectrum.org

We will provide a detailed schedule of programming closer to the event on the Gender Spectrum website. If you have any questions about the programming before it is published, please contact us at info@genderspectrum.org.

Scholarships

We offer scholarships on a sliding scale to make the conference available to all who are interested. We are grateful to the many community members whose donations to our scholarship fund greatly increase the number of scholarships we are able to provide.

To apply for a scholarship for this year's programming, please download the Scholarship Application After completing the application, please email to info@genderspectrum.org. Once we receive your application, we will contact you directly to finalize your registration.

For More Information

Please visit us at www.genderspectrum.org for more information and updates about this year's event. You can also find lots of resources for parents, join our online communities, and  learn about our many other services and activities.