FAQs - Transgender Training Institute, Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions

WORKING WITH TTI

Where does TTI conduct trainings?

TTI works across the United States, providing in-person, virtual and online trainings. Our office is based in Philadelphia, PA, but we have training team members across the United States, and we can come to your location for in-person trainings. We host several of our own courses in Philly, PA, but are increasingly offering our courses in other cities around the US.

How do we schedule a training with TTI?

Thanks for your interest in working with us! In order to schedule a training or consulting need, please contact us, and our Training Coordinator, Kelsey, will reach out to schedule a time for us to talk. During that call, we will ask you a few questions about your audience, needs, goals, timeframe, and budget, and we will tell you more about our approach to this work to see if TTI is a good match for your needs.

Information that will be helpful to have in advance of our call, if possible:

Reason for the training/consulting and related goals
Information about the potential audience and venue
Potential training dates / timeframe for implementation
How much time is available for a training session
How many people will be attending the training
Your budget

How far in advance do we need to schedule a training?

While our training schedule varies, we typically need about 4-6 weeks lead time for most training requests, (but as much as advanced notice as possible is always welcome!). This gives us enough time to accommodate our trainers’ schedules, complete the contracting process and develop the curriculum for your training. If you are looking to work with one of our Senior Training Team members, please note that they often book a few months and up to a year+ in advance.

Please note that certain times of year, such as P/K-12 professional development days, and the start of the academic calendar, we are often approached 6 months to a year or more in advance, so we encourage you to reach out as far in advance as your able.

What does TTI charge for trainings/consulting?

Here at TTI, we understand that everyone has different budget constraints and opportunities, and we do our best to work within a range of organizational budgets. Once we learn more about what you are seeking, the related logistics and your budget, we will match you with a member of our training team that matches your budget and needs.

Please note that while we understand that there is extensive need for trainings and that not all organizations are able to budget for such needs, TTI holds a core value of providing fair compensation for the time, energy and expertise of our training team, and we are currently unable to accept requests for work without compensation.

Can TTI provide CEUs?

While TTI is generally unable* to provide CEUs directly, we are more than happy to provide the necessary materials to support a site/client in applying for CEUs directly. This is most feasible for us for trainings that are confirmed more than 3 months in advance.

(*In some cases we are able to provide Social Work and AASECT CEs, please contact us for details.)

How can I become a member of the TTI Team?

All TTI team members must be committed to personal and professional growth around dismantling the oppression of all marginalized peoples, and be prepared to call attention to and uplift other marginalized communities within training sessions and related work. For the immediate future, TTI is prioritizing hiring people of color, both transgender and non-binary people of color as well as family members and loved ones who identify as trans-affirming, and transgender women, non-binary individuals.

Please note that all TTI team members work on a sub-contractor (1099), project-by-project basis, so a flexible schedule is a must, and we are unable to guarantee any team members a certain amount of work or income.

TRAINING-OF-TRAINERS

I am not transgender, can I attend the TOT?

Yes! Our TOTs are open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. Our criteria for attending is that you must have at least a foundational (Transgender 101) knowledge base. Since this training is specifically about how to deliver content, it is important that all attendees already have content knowledge prior to attending.

How much does it cost to register for a TOT?

Registration costs for the 3-day training includes a copy of The Teaching Transgender Toolkit, a contribution to the scholarship fund to help support individuals who would not otherwise be able to attend the training, assorted snacks and beverages, and access to our private Facebook group for TTI TOT Alumni. For TOTs held in Philadelphia, we also include lunch from local businesses on each of the 3 training days.

The cost of attendance is:
$975 for organizations/companies (>750,000 gross annually)
$825 for organizations/companies (<750,000 gross annually) $675 for individuals (not being reimbursed)
$465 for students and early career professionals (2 years after graduation and not being reimbursed- please note that proof of enrollment or graduation may be requested)
$100 for scholarship recipients (2-3 seats available per TOT, priority given to trans and non-binary folks of color and/or multiply marginalized and their loved ones.)

I can only attend part of the TOT, should I register?

We strongly discourage participants from planning to attend only part of the TOT. Because our TOT courses are designed in such a way where everything builds on what has come before, we do not allow people to plan to arrive late. We also do cover content up until the end of the TOT, and strongly discourage attendees from leaving early. In the past, when folks have had to leave early, they often regret it and end up re-registering for the course.

I cannot pay using a credit card, can you send me an invoice?

Absolutely! Please email us at info@transgendertraininginstitute.com and we will send over an invoice. Generally speaking, we are able to put a 2 week hold on your seat while the check is being generated on your end.

I would like to register, but need to get approval first. Is there a way to hold a seat for me?

Generally speaking, when space allows, we are able to put a 2 week hold on your seat. Please email us for more information.

I would like to register, but cannot afford to pay all at once. Can I do a payment plan?

We understand that paying at all once can be a burden and that not everyone has or wishes to use credit, so we do our best to provide payment plan options when possible. Generally speaking, the overall cost of the TOT at your registration rate is divided by the number of months until the TOT, so that the full fee is paid 30 days prior to the start of the TOT. Please email our Training Coordinator, Kelsey, to discuss.

What is your TOT cancellation policy?

Participants have up until 30 days prior to the training date to cancel your registration, minus a $100 fee. Cancellation requests less 30 days prior to the training will not be eligible for a refund unless someone from the waitlist is able to take the vacated spot. In that case, a partial refund of $300 will be provided, or alternatively, registration may be rescheduled/postponed to a future training for a fee of $150. In the event that a last minute emergency prevents you from attending, we will work with you to transfer your registration to another TOT. Due to demand and logistics, we are only able to offer transfer of registration once.

Will I receive CEs for participating in this TOT?

Our TOT meets the requirements of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) and has been approved for 21 CE credits. These CE credits may be applied toward AASECT certification and renewal of certification. (Core Knowledge Areas: C, D, N, O & SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5).

We are unable to provide other CE’s at this time, but we encourage you to check with your certifying/accrediting body to see if they have a reciprocal agreement with AASECT.

What time does the TOT start and finish?

Generally speaking, all of our Philly TOTs & ATCs run from 10 AM to 6 PM, unless otherwise noted on the course registration page. We do often end closer to 5:30 PM on the third day, but the specific time varies from cohort to cohort, so we recommend planning for 6 PM.

I registered for the TOT, now what?

Thanks for registering! In your confirmation email from Eventbrite, you should have received a link to pre-course survey on GoogleDocs. This survey completes your registration. We will be in touch about 2 months prior to the TOT, 1 month prior to the TOT and 1 week prior to the TOT.

Is there any additional reading that I should do prior to the TOT to be prepared?

In addition to the recommended readings from The Teaching Transgender Toolkit, we also recommend securing a copy of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves and reading through the areas of interest. This will help you to fill in knowledge gaps prior to the TOT and will make your time during the TOT more effective.

Philly Courses: How far is the training location from the airport/train/bus stations?

If you are trying to book a train, we recommend that your train arrive no later than 9:15 AM on the first day and depart no earlier than 6:30 PM on the last day. This will allow you for enough time to get to and from our training space without having to worry too much about traffic. The drive from The Cedar Works to 30th Street Station averages about 15 minutes when there is no traffic, and closer to 20 when there is.

If you are trying to book a plane ticket, we recommend arriving the night before if at all possible. In the instance this is not possible, you will want to make sure that your flight arrives no later than 8:30 AM. For return flights, we recommend booking for 7 PM or after, so that you do not miss anything on the last day. The Cedar Works is about a 25 minute drive from the airport, depending on traffic. Rush hour traffic can add as much as a half hour or more if there is an accident.

Philly Courses: Do you have any recommendations for where I should stay?

Yes! We keep an up-to-date housing list that includes all of our recommended options, including trans-affirming AirBnB’s within walking distance to our training space, the local LGBTQ owned and run Bed and Breakfast, and hotels located nearby. If you are searching, please use zip code 19143 — the closest neighborhoods are University City & West Philly. Please email us to ask for our current housing information sheet.

Philly Courses: What type of food is served for lunch?

For TOTs held in Philadelphia, we also include lunch from local businesses on each of the 3 training days. Our menu varies from training to training, but we make it a point to provide options for people who practice vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets.* We also provide snacks such as fruit, yogurts, granola bars, chips, cookies and the occasional candy. We generally try to provide organic snacks when feasible. We always have a supply of filtered water, flavored sparkling waters, coffee, and tea on hand, as well as dairy and non-dairy creamers.

FYI – While we are generally able to accommodate some food allergies, those with severe allergies are encouraged to consider bringing their own food, as TTI cannot be held liable for any allergens that may be present in the food.

Here is a sample recent menu for the three days as an example:

Day 1: Mediterranean (From Hummus)

Hummus, falafel, grape leaves, cabbage salad, Turkish salad, Moroccan potato cigars, tabouli, chicken kabobs, beef kabobs, pita and gluten free bread. (Minus the kabobs, all of the food is vegetarian/vegan friendly.)

Day 2: Indian (From New Delhi)

Vegetable samosas, basmati rice, naan, salad and your choice of channa masala (veg), gobi masala (vegan), and/or chicken curry. Everything except the chicken curry is vegetarian, and all but the channa masala and curry are vegan.

Day 3: Mexican (From Honest Tom’s)

Build your own taco bar, and, build your own nacho bar. Options include: flour or corn tortillas, sweet potatoes, grilled veggies, pork, chicken, vegetarian black beans, rice, queso fresco, pickled jalapenos, vegetarian black bean sauce, pico de gallo, chipotle sour cream, guacamole and Honest Tom’s own line of hot sauces.