Your Practice

It is important that your service includes LGBT people and recognises the issues that LGBT people can face. Can you identify the ways you reach out to and improve the visibility and awareness of LGBT people? Are you confident supporting a young person ‘coming out’? Could you confidently challenge homophobia with your service users?

In this section you will find detailed information on how to really include LGBT people in your service, case studies of organisations who have received their LGBT Charter Mark and tools to help you assess your progress.

As every organisation operates differently, each organisation may interpret each of of the following suggestions differently. LGBT Charter champions are encouraged to think about their services and be as innovative as possible in how they improve access to their services for LGBT people. 

If you need some suggestions on how to include LGBT people you may want to think about:

Web links and Access

This could include ensuring that access to LGBT Youth Scotland’s website is possible perhaps by inserting a link for your website to the LGBT Youth Scotland website or even providing a safe place for people to access the website. Speak to your I.T. department to discuss access to the LGBT Youth Scotland website and inserting a link onto your website.

Occasionally some organisations’ security settings don’t allow access to sites where the word LGBT features. If you are having difficulty with filters on your computer, you can get help by downloading the help sheet below.

Resources

Resources that are relevant to LGBT people are essential for LGBT service users and even your staff. Providing resources shows that you understand the needs of LGBT people and can give information, advice and support if necessary. Posters are a good way of reaching out to LGBT people as it improves their visibility in the community and creates a space where LGBT people feel included.

To order resources please Contact Us

Outreach

Have you had or plan to have any events which involves the LGBT community? Do you offer support to LGBT people coming out? Do you offer advice or signpost LGBT people to relevant services?
Following this link take you to the Get Involved section of the website where you will find a number of projects to direct LGBT service users to.

Why not get involved in LGBT History Month and organise an event to show your support for LGBT people and send out a strong message that equality and diversity are core to your organisation. Take a look at the information on the LGBT History Month tab on the left and see how could could get involved.

There are a number of  dates in the LGBT calendar that organisation may wish to get involved in, in order to raise awareness of LGBT people and LGBT issues such as:

• Anti-bullying week 17th-23rd November 2008
• World Aids Day 1st December 2008
• LGBT History Month February annually
• IDAHO (International Day Against HOmophobia) 17th May 2009

 

There are a number of other campaigns for LGBT and human rights that you may wish to recognise.

Organising events such as these to raise awareness of LGBT issues is an excellent way to promote and celebrate diversity within your organisation and include LGBT people.

LGBT Specialist Service

Are you aware of your nearest LGBT service? Have you made contact with them to find out what services they provide? This will ensure that an LGBT person will be confident that they can approach you for guidance on LGBT issues. Do the LGBT people you work with know that you would accompany them to a service if necessary?

Follow the link to find an extensive list of LGBT services. Can’t find a service in your area? Then click here.
Or contact  LGBT Youth Scotland by clicking here and we will be able to help you.

Promotion

Have you displayed the LGBT Charter of Rights? By displaying the LGBT Charter of Rights you will send out a positive message to all that equality and diversity is at the heart of your organisation. Why not write a case study of your experience working towards the LGBT Charter to encourage other organisations to sign up and get involved?

Marketing

Once you have completed all of your targets you can continue to promote equality and diversity by including the LGBT Charter logo on relevant materials such as recruitment adverts, newsletters, on your website for example. You will also have an LGBT Charter Certificate to display with pride.

 

Charter Minimum Requirements

The examples given above on what measures you should take to diversify and improve the quality of your services for LGBT people are some of the expectations LGBT people have themselves, on what makes an inclusive service for them. You should aim to fulfill theses as fully as possible to gain your LGBT Charter mark, however you may have other methods of including, supporting and valuing LGBT people. Please download the form below to give greater detail on your achievements regarding LGBT inclusion and return to LGBT Youth Scotland to be included in your Charter application.

More information

Need some more inspiration? Take a look at the case study below from Stevenson College who have already achieved their LGBT Charter mark.

LGBT Youth Scotland have over 17 years experience involving LGBT people and have a number of reports outlining the work that they have done to include LGBT people.

Reports available include:

• Involving Young People in Community Development
• Including Young People in Rural Areas

 

If you would like to get copies of the reports or would like some more information on all the reports available please contact us by clicking here.