Rainbow Youth 2.0 Erasmus Project

Project Title

Rainbow Youth 2.0

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity has no place in our society, but for many people in Europe, it is a daily reality. The European Commission is standing against discrimination, against prejudice and against hate. The 2015 Eurobarometer on discrimination (latest one available) shows that almost 60% of EU citizens see discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as widespread. According to a recent study by the European Fundamental Rights Agency, twothirds of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) people, conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity. The vast majority of participants recall harassment against LGBTI students during their time in school.
Even conservative estimates suggest around 10% of the population is LGBTQI+ and, we know that more and more young people identify outside the gender binary spectrum each day. It is highly likely that at least a few of the young people a practitioner works with at any one time identifies as LGBTQI+. However, most of the educators find themselves uncertain and/or unable to answer the specific needs of this group, sometimes feeling uncomfortable. In the last few years, the applicant has develop and deliver several KA1 mobilities of youth workers focussed on LGBTQI+ Inclusion.
Through that work we have found that there is a widespread need in Europe (and beyond as we had partners or requests from countries such as Morocco, Jordan, Russia,…) to build the capacity of youth workers in the area of LGBTQI inclusive youth work. Youth Workers and educators argue in their applications to the course that they face difficulties to know how to work or what to do when young people with diverse gender identities or sexual orientations disclose that to them and also on how to manage the group setting to ensure that the young people feel safe and welcomed. They also face often homophobic bullying and disclose difficulties managing it. In the process of planning and improving the training we have face difficulties finding adequate information to point to participants before the training course to do some pre-training work and there is little in terms of a competency framework for inclusive LGBTQI youth work.
The need for this project starts from the desire to build a society that is inclusive towards every kind of diversity. The information above point to our experience in terms of LGBTQI inclusion and it is hightlighed by the results of the LGBT Action Plan by the UK Government (2018) that reports high levels of negative experiences regarding LGBTQI education.
The target groups to be address are youth workers, and secondarily other educators.
The project’s main aim is to promote the inclusion of LGBTQI youth through the creation of understanding and inclusive youth work experiences and spaces and will be reached by several key actions:-The development of a competence framework addressing the competences needed to became an LGBTQI+ inclusive youth worker.
-The creation of an online training course to support wider reach, and a community of practice to offer peer support and learning.
-The development of a long term training of trainers to reach the local and regional communities with face-to-face trainings.
-The production of a manual to support youth workers implementing inclusive youth work activities and projects.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 233890 Eur

Project Coordinator

LEADERSHIP, EQUALITY AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION (LEAP) IN SPORTS SCOTLAND & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Asociación Colectivo MosaiQ
• ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE EUFEMIA APS
• SAPLINQ, O.Z.