www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Young people andhomophobic bullying

CHYP IN Network

29 November 2012

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Safe Newcastle safe and confident co-ordination group

• Safe and Confident action plan • Priority outcome to promote community

confidence, reassurance and engagement • Action to increase engagement with children

and young people • Clear from working group discussions that

homophobic bullying presented specific issues around responding to and dealing with instances of bullying

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Facts and figures

• No data on the numbers of LGBT young people in Newcastle, however it is known young LGBT people amongst those most likely to be bullied (Newcastle Children & Young People’s Plan 2011-14)

• Nationally 55% of LGBT young people have experienced direct bullying (School Report, Stonewall)

• Use of homophobic language is endemic (Stonewall)

• Three in five gay pupils say teachers who witness bullying never intervene (Stonewall)

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Facts and figures

• 32% of gay pupils change their future education plans because of bullying (Stonewall)

• Three in five gay pupils say it affects directly their school work (Stonewall)

• LGBT young people are at a higher risk of suicide, self harm and depression (Stonewall)

• 41% have attempted or thought of taking their own life(Stonewall)

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Durham, Chester-le-Street, Derwentside PCTs Homophobic Bullying Research 2006

• 44% LGBT young people had experienced verbal bullying

• 56% had experienced verbal and physical bullying • 71% LGBT young people didn’t seek help• Barriers to seeking help included

– ‘Feeling no one would take it seriously’– ‘Didn’t have the confidence to ask for help’– ‘My teacher said I had problems with my sexuality’

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle

Some of the support and help available in

Newcastle• MESMAC: Fairer Futures anti-homophobic

bullying toolkit, GAP (young gay and bisexual men’s group)

• Response anti-bullying team: ARCH reporting system

• The Fed: developed a ‘homophobia – lets tackle it pack’ with Red Card Group

• West End Women & Girls Centre: Tyneside Young Lesbian Project

Questions

• What is your organisation’s experience or awareness of homophobic bullying?

• Where do you see gaps or blockages in the system for reporting homophobic bullying and issues arising from it?

• Do you have examples of good practice for dealing with bullying?

www.cvsnewcastle.org.uksupporting voluntary and community action in

Newcastle