Rob has given his support to School Diversity Week (21-25 June), a week which aims to encourage young people to champion LGBT+ inclusion in education.
School Diversity Week is a great opportunity for primary and secondary schools as well as colleges across the UK to show their pupils, who may be LGBT+ or have LGBT+ families, that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated.
Sadly, LGBT+ school pupils experience disproportionate struggles when at school, with LGBT+ pupils being twice as likely to be bullied. In addition to this, in the 2018 National LGBT Survey, only 3% of respondents said they had discussed sexual orientation and gender identity at school, be that during lessons, in assemblies or elsewhere.
Just Like Us have found from surveying school staff that many believe it is their colleagues and school board that are a barrier to introducing more LGBT+ inclusion at their school.
Looking at this evidence, it is clear that more needs to be done and more discussion needs to happen in schools to show LGBT+ pupils that being themselves is something to be celebrated if that is what they wish to do.
Rob said:
“LGBT inclusion in schools is an issue that resonates with me on a personal level, and I am therefore proud to show my support for Just Like Us’ School Diversity Week.
It is fantastic to see that several schools in Delyn have already signed up to this year’s School Diversity Week, as it is vital that young people in Delyn feel empowered and that schools provide support for all their students by promoting inclusion.”
Schools can sign up for free at www.justlikeus.org/school-diversity-week to receive an online toolkit full of resources for all key stages, right across the curriculum.
Or simply find out more about the work that the charity Just Like Us do in promoting LGBT+ inclusion at www.justlikeus.org.
Watch Rob's video on why he supports School Diversity Week at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd4WHd_Tkvk