Support LGBT+ learners in your environment

Next month (1-30 June) is Pride Month, the ideal opportunity to look at ways to better support LGBT+ learners across your environment…

As Pride Month approaches, did you know that according to Stonewall’s School Report*:

  • Nearly half (45%) of lesbian, gay and bi pupils and 64% of trans pupils are bullied for being LGBT at school
  • Two in five LGBT pupils are never taught about LGBT issues in school
  • More than half of LGBT pupils (53%) say there is no adult they can talk to at school about being LGBT

So how can you create a more open and supportive environment in your school or college?  Here are five positive steps you can take to increase understanding, open the conversation and offer practical support:

  1. Use our new Microaggressions teaching resources to start an open conversation around what microaggressions are, the damage they can do and how we can address and banish them in our own environments.
  2. Highlight the community groups section of our Learning4Life website as a way for LGBTQ+ young people in your learning environment to discover local groups and support networks here.
  3. Discover what LGBT+ young people say about the barriers they face in accessing HE opportunities and learn about what you can do to help them overcome them by reading the findings of our research project with AllSorts Youth project.
  4. Sign up for a free training workshop exploring how to support LGBT+ young people in your environment https://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/lgbt-training/working-with-young-people. The courses, which can be adapted to meet the individual needs of any school, college, business or organisation, are run by All Sorts LGBT youth service in Sussex. AllSorts listens to, connects and supports young people under 26 who are LGBT or exploring their sexual orientation and / or gender identity. As well as running training courses, the charity also offers family support groups, one-to-one talking services for young LGBT+ young people and informal youth groups including a dedicated group for LGBT+ People of Colour
  5. Check out the best practice recommendations developed by St Catherine's College in Chichester in conjunction with LGBTQ+ students as part of their drive to become a more LGBTQ+ inclusive community. The full set of learnings and recommendations to come out of the Me to You initiative can be found here.  

Footnote
The Stonewall School Report: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bi and trans young people in Britain’s schools https://www.stonewall.org.uk/school-report-2017