After surveying over 7,000 young people as part of our ground-breaking National Youth Chances research, we know that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and questioning, LGBTQ, young people have negative experiences at school impacting their life chances.
For example 49% of the LGBTQ young people surveyed reported that their time at school was affected by discrimination or fear of discrimination. Consequences reported included missing lessons, achieving lower grades, feeling isolated and left out and having to move schools.
We are delighted that our bid to deliver a comprehensive project taking an innovative, tailored approach in preventing and responding to HBT bullying, and creating an inclusive school environment has been successful. We will be working with two Pioneer Schools ensuring viability and appropriateness of a suite of interventions including HBT bullying ambassadors, peer conflict mediation, staff training, workshops for parents, diversity days, ally groups, counselling, equalities steering groups and an advice line for pupils, parents and teachers, with a trail-blazing school-centred approach to engaging further schools.
We will draw on our unparalleled record of high-quality HBT bullying work with CAMHS, youth groups, local authorities, schools and colleges to deliver this exciting new program. We have been commissioned by Big Lottery, Comic Relief, Department for Education, MAC AIDS Fund, City Bridge Trust, the NHS and many Local Authorities to support LGBTQ young people, and we welcome this further investment in the life chances of LGBTQ young people.
– Dr Greg Ussher, METRO Charity CEO
The Department for Education (DfE) and the Government Equalities Office (GEO) are funding a number of projects to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools across England. Funded by the GEO, METRO plans to deliver directly across South London, Kent, Medway and Surrey and in South West London, East Anglia and Essex as part of the partnership programme led by LGBT Consortium. METRO has also committed to being an active member of the Peer Learning Hub, sharing and developing best practise across other successful organisations, again led by LGBT Consortium.