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Support U offer schools training on LGBT+* issues.
Whether it’s to talk to teachers, to support your whole team, create a policy, or to receive training for a group of schools, we are here to talk about inclusion and acceptance for LGBT+ people across all areas of education.
Originally accredited as a Stonewall Train the Trainer for Schools, Support U has been able to develop their own unique take on what it means to be LGBT+ in education. The training highlights what the terms gender and sexuality mean in 2019, and why/how it’s important to be inclusive in your school. We provide resources and training materials to be used in a variety of settings; from in the classroom, to teacher conferences and staff training exercises.
Some of our training so far has included:
- Train the Trainer for Teachers
- One to One for children
- Headteacher Support
- Policy advice
- Parent Support
- Assemblies on Identities
- PSHE Classes
- Youth Group Provision – Affinity
- Educational Resources from our LGBT+ history projects and from wider resources
If you feel your school needs further assistance in understanding LGBT+ inclusion, please get in touch for a quote. We are happy to accommodate you in the training you require, so please do let us know how we can be of service.
Support U is a charity that is run by funding, training, conferences and donations.
Who are Support U?
Support U was founded in 2011; it was clear that Berkshire had a lack of local support for the LGBT+ community. The charity provides services for 
individuals which include one to one support meetings, counselling and group support. To this date, Support U are the only charity offering this type of support within Reading and the Thames Valley.
The one to one and counselling service is vital for the LGBT+ community as it allows them to talk openly about sexuality and gender identity without judgement. Support U can be the first time someone has ever said it out loud that they could be LGBT+.
Our clients range from all backgrounds and the ages can be from 7-73! We don’t just support people who are LGBT+, we also support the wider family and friends so they can understand better and create a supportive network for their LGBT+ friends or family members. At Support U, we don’t judge that you don’t know the answers, we are happy that you asked.
The Support U service is free and you can contact us through email, phone, website and more. This is to all clients/beneficiaries who need direct support with understanding their sexuality and gender identity.
Olly Alexander, frontman from Years and Years, said:“There’s such a stigma around mental health that stops us from speaking out. In the workplace, in education, or even at home, it can feel difficult to express what you’re going through in the first place. Tackling that stigma is one part of it. I also think we have to have the actual services and provisions for LGBT+ people, because they are quite slim on the ground. The things that we can do to help that situation is to be on our local representatives so they are not defunding or shutting them down.”
If you feel you have identified individuals in your school, whether it be teachers or students, who need this type of support, please refer them to us. We create an individualised support plan to target the key issues a person is coping with, and provide a friend to discuss these sensitive matters.
Check out our website for further details on our groups we facilities.
