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Young Trans* lives transformed by Rainbow Funding

Reductions in suicide and self harm achieved by inspirational Trans* youth project funded by the Rainbow Fund, thanks to Brighton Pride and the Bears Weekender fundraising.

Rainbow Fund

Fifty four young people have accessed an inspiration Trans* youth project, funded by the Rainbow Fund following donations by groups such as Brighton Pride and the Brighton Bear Weekender.

Transformers, the Allsorts Trans* Youth Project meet two Fridays in a month, from 5pm to 7pm, in a central Brighton location.

The group offers:

· An opportunity to make friends with other trans* young people

· Support and information about transitioning, your rights, coming out and much more

· Fun activities and workshops e.g. art activities, drama games, film nights etc

· Discussions about what matters to you as trans* young people

They also offer individual support with a Trans* Youth Support and Education Worker and a confidential setting to talk through concerns.

In the last year the project ensured that 54 trans and gender questioning young people have benefited from individual and group support. This includes 22 in the 19-25 age bracket, and 31 aged 11-18 year olds, with one under 10 year old also receiving support.

325 practitioners and parents/carers of trans children and young people have received advice and guidance interventions (including group training sessions).

The project has reported significant reductions by beneficiaries in suicide attempts and self harm whilst they also report improvements in building confidence and self esteem.

Paul Elgood
Paul Elgood

Paul Elgood, Chairman of the Rainbow Fund said: “It has been a privilege for the Rainbow Fund to support a project as special as this. The outcomes which have been achieved are both inspirational and very moving. This is all about improving the life chances of these young people, who otherwise could become bullied and disengaged from the community. Our funding for projects such as this is only possible due to the fundraising work of our supporters, thank you.”

 

REVIEW: Moscow State Circus

MoscowStateCircusParkGorkogo_main_orange

Moscow State Circus.

The Big Top.

Preston Park.

The Moscow State Circus returns to the UK with its latest and greatest production to date presenting lots of the usual circus acts but all given with their own particular twist. This is a fun and engaging show with plenty of entertainment for all the family, and if you’re not so keen on jugglers or cracking whips there’s the excitement of another sequined and spangled act along in a moment.

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That’s the great joy of a circus, it’s endless variety and there is plenty of that at the ‘PARK GORKOGO’ (Gorky Park) show. We were treated to a fun filled evening in the Big Top from extraordinary high wire Flying Trapeze of Alievs White Birds , supersonic whip cracking, the unique Yakovlev Vertical Pole Jugglers, an astonishing display of balancing and ball control, demented roller skating from the Veslovskis that was astonishingly fast, lithe double jointed gymnastic control from Vladislav Khostik and lots of other performers

To see the full line up check out the Moscow State Circus website here they have a cool video preview too.

vlaf msc

The Big Top is comfortable and warm, the sound system clear, the staff in their tightly fitting Russian outfits both efficient and very easy on the eye. Oh and there’s free parking in Preston Park too so very easy to drive up and park right outside, just make sure you leave a little extra time to deal with the queues.

There’s 10% off if you book on line too, see their website for the offer here:

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With no ring master we had third generation superstar clown Val Defun with his modern Russian take on clowning who was great fun and instantly got the audience on his side and with his funny interludes he kept the atmosphere charged and focused. He’s a great performer. There was always enough change of pace and action to keep even our little one fascinated. At one point there was a great interaction with a kid in the audience who could scream incredibly high and long like a steam whistle, he jumped up on stage, stole the show and won the audience over, it was very funny (although I suspect he may well have been a fourth generation Defun.)

MSC Football juggler 2[3]

Great fun and a nice modern version of a traditional circus with all the important parts preserved, and enough laughs, thrills, ohhs and ahhhhs to please even the most demanding person and all the glamour you could want for a fun family night out.

With all the fun of the festival it’s good to see an old favourite reinventing itself with such family friendly charm.

Until May 18 two shows a day, see the website for correct times.

For more info or to book tickets, CLICK HERE:

 

Homophobia and transphobia rife on campus

NUS Bullying ReportNational Union of Students (NUS) call for zero tolerance to LGBT bullying following publication of new research.

Pioneering research released today by the NUS Education beyond the straight and narrow, reveals that one in five LGB+ students, and a third of trans students, have experienced bullying or harassment on campus, with the union calling for LGBT specific zero tolerance policies in UK institutions.

The research, the first of its kind, explores the experience of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) students in higher education, focusing specifically on their everyday life on campus, their access to services and factors that influence their academic success and the completion of their studies.

The research showed that:

· 20 per cent of LGB+, and a third of trans respondents, have experienced at least one form of bullying or harassment on campus

· Just two in ten trans students felt completely safe on campus – less than half the proportion of their heterosexual counterparts

· Over half of trans respondents (51 per cent) have seriously considered dropping out of their course.

· LGB+ students are more likely to consider dropping out than heterosexual students: 25 per cent of heterosexual have seriously considered dropping out of their course compared to 27.7 per cent of gay, 26.6 per cent of lesbian, and 30 per cent of bisexual.

· More than half of LGB+ respondents (56 per cent) cited the feeling of not fitting in as the main reason for considering dropping out.

· LGBT students who have experienced a form of homophobic or transphobic harassment are 2–3 times more likely to consider leaving their course.

· A focus group with trans students found that the main difficulties faced on campus for trans students are the lack of gender-neutral toilets and facilities, the lack of policies to update their name and gender in the student register, issues with university security services; and the prevalence of transphobia.

One respondent explained that the use of homophobic terms such as “that’s so gay”, have become “so commonplace that I don’t feel justified enough in speaking out against it…even though it continues to feed the idea that being “gay” is bad.”

Another stated: “The general attitude on our campus is extremely anti-gay or bi, and I would not feel comfortable coming out to anyone.”

NUS is now calling for the enforcement of zero tolerance policies on campus specifically about homophobic and transphobic behaviour, harassment and bullying. Current zero tolerance policies can be vague and do not include rules about homophobic and transphobic bullying or harassment. Some institutions still do not have any zero tolerance policies at all.

NUS wants to see clear procedures put in place on campuses across the UK, with points of contact established so that students can easily report bullying experienced by themselves, or someone they know.

Other recommendations include more staff training on LGBT issues, more peer to peer support, and improving access to information and services on campus for LGBT students.

Sky Yarlett and Finn McGoldrick, NUS’ LGBT Officers,
Sky Yarlett and Finn McGoldrick, NUS’ LGBT Officers,

Sky Yarlett and Finn McGoldrick, NUS’ LGBT Officers, said: “This research confirms our fears about the impact that isolation, discrimination and coming out, has on LGBT students. It’s appalling to hear that LGBT students don’t feel safe in an educational environment and are experiencing bullying just because of who they are.

“Many LGBT students continue to feel alone in education and society as a whole. Many suffer mental health and financial issues, and all too often we hear cases of LGBT students leaving education altogether as an indirect result of their identity.

“We can no longer ignore the plight of LGBT students. We absolutely need to enforce zero tolerance policies for homophobic and transphobic behaviour, “banter”, and bullying to make sure our campuses are inclusive and that all students, regardless of their sexuality or identity, have a chance to succeed.”

Luke Tryl
Luke Tryl

Luke Tryl, Head of Education, Stonewall, added: “This rigorous research from the NUS makes plain that too many lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans students don’t feel safe whilst studying and that too many universities haven’t yet taken the simple steps to make them feel both safe on campus and able to report harassment. We hope that all of Britain’s Higher Education institutions implement the recommendations of this report, and look forward to working with them and the NUS to make this happen”

 

 

L Project single enters UK charts

We’re All Human official theme tune for IDAHO on May 17, breaks into the UK charts.

L Project

We’re All Human, the new charity single from the L Project and official theme tune for the 10th International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHOT) on May 17, has entered the UK official independent singles chart at no 36.

The song, which last week was tweeted by celebrities such as Stephen FryClare Balding, and Martina Navratilova, now stands a chance of breaking into the mainstream over the next week. If it does, it will carry with it IDAHOT’s message to stand against violence and oppression, and promote freedom, diversity and acceptance.

Georgey Payne one of the project’s coordinators, said:

“Diversity and love is a message everyone can get behind, whether LGBT or not,”

“We hope that everyone – especially non-LGBT people – takes the opportunity this week to download the song and add their vote of support for a world without prejudice.”

The song, recorded over a weekend at London’s Dean Street Studios, combines the talents of 19 LGBT artists, many of whom are established on the LGBT scene. All these artists gave their time for free to The L Project, who have been raising funds and awareness to promote diversity for the last two years.

The L Project’s 2012 single It Does Get Better reached number 11 in the UK independent charts and has so far raised almost £10,000 for the Stonewall and Diversity Role Models charities.

We’re All Human will be donating 100% of all proceeds to LGBT charities Kaleidoscope, who fight to uphold the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people internationally; The Russian LGBT Network, who will help victims of LGBT abuse in Russia; and Mermaids, a UK youth transgender charity.

The song can be downloaded on all good download sites, including iTunes and Amazon.

iTunes: CLICK HERE:

Amazon: CLICK HERE: 

There is an accompanying official music video, as well as a BSL signed version, and a series of behind-the-scenes shorts.

To watch the Music Video for We’re All Human – The L Project: CLICK HERE:

FACEBOOK: 

TWITTER: 

 

Samaritans – Serving the LGBT community in Brighton & Hove

“Samaritan volunteers are ordinary people doing something extraordinary”

Samaritan LGBT volunteers Peter, Henry, Lyn, Daniel and Abby
Samaritan LGBT volunteers Peter, Henry, Lyn, Daniel and Abby

Samaritan volunteers in Brighton and Hove answered a staggering 55,273 calls for help last year, which supports the Samaritans vision that fewer people die by suicide.

Once a minute, somebody calls Samaritans because they are in great distress; many consider ending their lives.

Samaritans are non-judgmental and your call will be completely confidential, they are wholly supportive of the LGBT community and around any issue regarding sexuality, 10% of calls to Samaritans by men are related to sexual orientation, 3% of gay men tried to take their own life, increasing to 5% for bisexual men as quoted in the Government Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. 26% of gay or bisexual men and women talked about loneliness and feelings of isolation (2012-13).

They have a diverse group of volunteers at the Brighton and Hove branch and are keen to recruit more volunteers from the LGBT community.

So what do their current LGBT volunteers say about Samaritans?

Peter
Peter

Peter is 40 years old and has been volunteering for 2 years. “I looked into volunteering and I found that Samaritans as an organisation was very flexible and it really fitted my availability with the hours I work as cabin crew. As a volunteer I have found that I am doing something that feels very beneficial to the community and it has opened my eyes to different aspects of life that I was previously unaware of. As a gay man living in Brighton I really liked the aspect of confidentiality that Samaritans offers because I know that being open about your sexuality is difficult. Personally, I have noticed that my communication skills have improved and I find I am less shocked by situations than before, I think being non-judgmental has helped with this. Training opportunities with Samaritans are excellent, I am now involved in training and recruitment of new volunteers and I also work as a shift leader which is really important as part of the support that volunteers on shift receive”.

Henry
Henry

Henry is 40 and has been volunteering for 2 years. “I chose Samaritans because a number of work colleagues had committed suicide and I saw how difficult it can be to go on living without support. Samaritans is an organization that is well respected because of its professionalism and particularly valuable for the LGBT community because of its non-judgmental, self determination and confidentiality policies which are so important for people who are coming out.”

Lyn
Lyn

Lyn is 41 and has been volunteering for 3 years: “I chose Samaritans because I have been a caller in the past. I found that the power of talking to somebody who was non-judgmental and not related to my family took away my fear, I decided I wanted to be able to offer that back to other people. Being a volunteer has given me a sense of value and purpose within a great organization. As a bisexual woman living in Brighton it has given me increased confidence in my ability to deal with difficult and emotionally painful situations with my friends and family.”

“If you are thinking about volunteering come along to one of our information events, take a risk on us and you will encounter a very supportive training process where you will learn about yourself. As a bisexual woman myself I found that the policy of being non-judgmental is integral within the organisation, no assumptions are made about sexuality whether you are a volunteer or a caller. The training that you will receive as a volunteer from Samaritans is second to none and as you become an established volunteer you will find that there are many more training opportunities including leadership training, recruitment and community outreach. There is something to suit everybody and you will be made to feel welcome”.

Daniel
Daniel

Daniel is 36 years old and has been volunteering for 6 years.“When I joined Samaritans I thought I was a good listener but I found that listening is a skill that needs to be mindfully taught, the Samaritans training is really excellent for that. I found that I really enjoy being part of the organisation and meeting other Samaritans, there is a stereotype of a Samaritan being a white, middle aged heterosexual woman wearing a twinset and pearls, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Diversity is very important. When I joined this organization as a 30 year old gay man I had no idea how my life would change. At Samaritans we are very supportive of the LGBT community which is commonly sited as a high risk group, at Samaritans sexuality doesn’t matter, the essential nature of being non-judgmental ensures this. If you are thinking of becoming a volunteer, give it a go, you will gain new skills, new self awareness, change your views and be part of a diverse organization that makes a difference in other peoples lives”.

AbbyAbby is 25 and was the youngest volunteer to join Brighton and Hove District Samaritans aged just 19. “I really liked the Samaritans organisation because talking about suicide is a taboo. To be able to give an individual the opportunity to talk about suicide is really valuable. Being part of Samaritans volunteer community is great and my life has taken on extra meaning. It is brilliant to get up in the morning and do something so worthwhile. Samaritans is a massively inclusive organisation for both volunteers and callers. If you are thinking about volunteering do it, it will give you new insight and perspective.”

If you are interested in volunteering for Samaritans the next information events will be at the branch on:

Tuesday May 6, 2014 at 7.00pm

Saturday May 24, at 10.30am

Tuesday June 10, 2014 at 10.30am

Saturday June 14, 2014 at 10.30am

Saturday June 21, 2014 at 7.00pm

Tuesday July 8, 2014 at 7.00pm

To find out more, CLICK HERE:

Local contact number: 01273 772277

Or visit their branch at Dubarry House, Newtown Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 6AE, entrance in Newtown Road open daily from 10am-10pm.

Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year. They provide a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, whatever life has done to them.

Telephone 08457 90 90 90 (UK) 1850 60 90 90 (ROI), Text: 07725 90 90 90, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find details of the nearest branch.

 

Kemptown MP’s ‘money lessons’ plan for local school

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, is encouraging local schools to put on money lessons this June.

Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven

The move comes in advance of this year’s My Money Week (June 9-15), run by national financial education charity Personal Finance Education Group (pfeg) which Simon says will to give pupils a head-start in financial education before it becomes a compulsory part of the new National Curriculum in September.

Every primary and secondary school in Brighton Kemptown is being given the chance to take part in My Money Week, which aims to help young people learn more about money and personal finance, for free.

This year My Money Week will be themed around current affairs, challenging young people to improve their financial skills, knowledge and confidence through topical lessons and activities on personal finance. As the UK’s leading financial education charity, pfeg is offering teachers in Brighton Kemptown free online resources, advice and training to help plan their activities.

Simon said: “Learning about personal finance and skills like budgeting and money management are incredibly important life skills which will serve pupils well in later life. I am therefore pleased to support the Personal Finance Education Group’s “My Money week” project.”

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of pfeg, added: “Simon Kirby MP is absolutely right to encourage local schools to take part in My Money Week, which is a terrific opportunity to help pupils learn more about money in a fun and engaging way. We are delighted to have his support for what we hope will be Brighton Kemptown’s best My Money Week yet.”

Financial education will become a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for the first time this September, after years of campaigning by MPs and Peers in the All-Party Parlimentary Group on Financial Education for Young People, pfeg and MoneySavingExpert.com’s Martin Lewis. The move only affects secondary schools still under local authority control, however pfeg initiatives such as My Money Week are designed to get all schools involved in financial education, including all primary schools, Academies and Free Schools.

Since the first My Money Week in 2009, millions of young people have been helped to understand more about money and personal finance through focused activities in schools. In 2013 My Money Week reached approximately 1.3 million young people in more than 4,500 schools and other settings across the UK.

Schools and other organisations that work with young people in Brighton Kemptown can find out more about My Money Week by CLICKING HERE:  

 

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