Stonewall has released a guide which gives advice to youth and education staff on how to support lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people.
It’s aimed at everyone who works with young people and who wants to enable LGB young people to grow and learn in a safe and supportive environment where they can be themselves.
The guide – the second in a new series of education guides on different specific aspects of tackling homophobic bullying – contains practical recommendations about how to show LGB young people that they can be themselves. It also includes real life experiences of gay young people and case studies from schools and youth projects.
Chris Gibbons, Stonewall Senior Education Officer, said: ‘Most young people tell Stonewall that they realise they’re lesbian, gay or bisexual when they’re 12 or 13. But many don’t tell anyone until they’re 16 or older. The fear of a negative reaction can be very damaging to a young person. This guide gives practical advice for teachers and all youth professionals such as avoiding assumptions, working with parents and carers and how to respond when a young person comes out.’
Recent changes in the law mean there is a now statutory obligation to support all young people – including those who are LGB. Stonewall’s Education for All programme provides a range of resources which offer this support. Stonewall’s anti-homophobia feature film FIT was recently sent to every school in Britain and our Some people are gay. Get over it! materials continue to send out a zero-tolerance message on homophobic bullying wherever they are displayed. The Stonewall Education Guide series will also continue to offer this support.
