Resources for professionals to promote LGBT+ inclusivity

LGBT+ History Month takes place every February across the UK and was founded in 2004 by Schools OUT UK co-chairs, Paul Patrick and Sue Sanders.

This year's theme is Medicine #UnderTheScope which celebrates LGBT+ peoples’ contribution to the field of medicine and healthcare both historically and today.

Its website is soon to feature updated resources around promoting LGBT+ history in schools and youth services, founders say.

CYP Now looks at other organisations also promoting LGBT+ inclusivity among young people:

Pop’n’Olly

Pop’n’Olly provides LGBT+ educational resources for primary-aged children and their parents, carers and teachers. Providing a series of original videos and books, it aims to ensure that teachers are equipped to deliver LGBT+ education.

Its most recent resource, LGBT+ Education in Primary School: Discussions with Parents is designed to help primary school teachers engage in positive discussions about LGBT+ education with parents.

Olly Pike, founder and director of Pop’n’Olly, said: “Primary teachers have repeatedly told us how they desperately need help navigating conversations with parents about LGBT+ education. We are incredibly proud to be offering guidance that is clear and helpful as we know that, for the majority of schools, creating an LGBT+ inclusive and safe environment is a top priority.”

• Beyond LGBT+ History Month: Cross-curricular inclusion

• Organisation shares LGBT+ resources for young children as schools await guidance

Stonewall

Stonewall is a charity which has campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights for the past 30 years. Its campaigns have included the School and College Champions programme to encourage inclusivity of LGBTQ+ children in the education system and the Children and Young People’s Services Champions programme which assists local councils to support LGBTQ+ young people. It also has the Rainbow Laces campaign, supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in sport.

Stonewall has a range of resources accessible online, with many of these free to use. As well as resources for the classroom, there are home learning packs which can be used by parents and carers and video packs on how to create a trans-inclusive setting.

It also offers LGBTQ+ workplace training and events alongside specialised training consultations for professionals looking to make the workplace more inclusive.

The Proud Trust

Based in Greater Manchester, The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ youth charity which runs a live chat and a national training and inclusion programme for schools.

It has a range of resources available for both young people and professionals, including bespoke training for staff of schools and youth organisations. It also runs the Rainbow Flag Award which is a national quality assurance framework for schools and youth-centered organisations aiming to combat LGBT-centered bullying.

The Safe Zone

The Safe Zone provides opportunities to learn about LGBTQ+ identities, gender and sexualities, looking at wider prejudices through its training offer for professionals.

It is a free online resource for LGBTQ+ awareness training, offering a range of schemes, including a cost-free two hour curriculum for those who want to teach about sexuality, gender and LGBTQ+ identities.

For those wanting to expand their knowledge in their free time, The Safe Zone also offers a self-guided course and signposts to a range of other resources online.

After completing training, organisations will be awarded with a ‘Safe Zone trained’ sticker.

Just Like Us

LGBT+ young people’s charity Just Like Us has a platform where teachers can download primary and secondary school resources about LGBT+ inclusion for free.

Secondary school staff can also pay annually to join a Pride Group programme and access further resources.

Members of the LGBT+ community aged 18-25 can also sign up to become an ambassador for the charity.

EqualiTeach

EqualiTeach provides equality, diversity and consultancy services for education settings, businesses and local authorities.

This includes ‘Free to Be’, a resource which offers a strategy for transforming the whole-school environment by tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

As well as offering the resource itself, it also offers documents explaining why these are important and the key terminology practitioners need to understand before implementing the work.

• To find out more about LGBT+ History Month and to purchase items from its shop to fund the campaign, visit lgbtplushistorymonth.co.uk