Family Resource Centre hosting Queer Field Trip as part of Vernon Winter Carnival

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A new event during Vernon Winter Carnival will give younger members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community a chance to meet their peers.

The Family Resource Centre has held several Queer Field Trips for high school students, but executive director Jim Swingle says they received numerous requests for a similar event for younger kids.

“We've been getting a lot of requests for pre-high school kids to have an event like that, so we are launching a version for ages 10-12. It was something that was really needed,” says Swingle.

The program picks a different LGBTQIA2S+ safe place in Vernon each month, where they youth can gather.

The carnival event will meet at the Okanagan Learning Foundation Feb. 4, 102 3126 31st Ave., 2 to 3 p.m.

"it's a chance to go some place to have fun and also to have peer support.”

Swingle says carnival reached out to the resource centre for an LGBTQIA2S+ event.

“We're hoping the fact it's at carnival will give it a little extra publicity, so younger kids will see that we are doing it,” Swingle says.

For a full list of carnival events and times, visit the VWC website.