URPotential has received a grant from the Health Lottery to help young LGBT people who live in the Blackpool area.
Starting on 1st June URPotential will now be able to deliver weekly sessions for young gay men, young gay women and transgender young people. We will also be continuing to support the families of these young people through the LGBT Family Support group who meet the last Wednesday of every month 7.00 to 9.00.
The LGBT group will meet every Thursday 4.30 to 6.00 for 13 to 17 year olds, Integrated groups 6.00-6.30
Thursday 6.30 – 8pm for 18 to 25 year olds
The Transgender groups Wednesday 4.30 to 6.00 for 13 to 17 year olds, Integrated groups 6.00-6.30
Wednesday 6.30 – 8pm for 18 to 25 year olds
Director Linda Markey, said: “This grant will help us support young LGBT people 13 to 25 who live in Blackpool. We are receiving more and more referrals about transgender young people from schools, colleges and organisations who work with young people. Some young transgender people are as young as 12. Schools are struggling to meet the demand for support and staff need specific training. This grant will give us the ability to develop an education pack for teachers, youth workers, CAMHS workers and anyone who works with young LGBT people. It also gives the young people the opportunity to develop a film to accompany the education pack. One goal of the young people has been to hold an annual LGBT conference in Blackpool, with this grant they can now start to plan this conference and deliver it in LGBT history month in 2017 to raise awareness of the issues facing these vulnerable young people”.
“Many of the young people we work with face daily bullying and harassment, homophobic & transphobic bullying that goes unchallenged. They suffer verbal & physical abuse on the bus going to school on the way home on the streets and sometimes in their own homes due to a lack of understanding. The work of the family support group is to support families to understand and support their children, siblings, grandchildren. The family support group is for everyone in the family”
For more information about the project contact Nina on 01253 344398 or lgbt@urpotential.co.uk
The Health Lottery is operated for and on behalf of 51 Community Interest Companies across England, Scotland and Wales, all holding society lottery licenses issued by the Gambling Commission. www.healthlottery.co.uk
