Belong To is calling on teachers, schools, and youth outreach centres across Ireland to address safety issues for their LGBTQ+ students this coming academic year through the next phase of their LGBTQ+ Quality Mark programme.

The LGBTQ+ Quality Mark, currently in its third year, is an 18-month support and accreditation programme which aims to improve the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ students. It offers a comprehensive approach to developing an LGBTQ+ safe and supportive school by drawing on best practices and Belong To’s 20 years of experience.

The initiative teaches schools and teachers about why it’s so vital to create more awareness around LGBTQ+ safety, and its goal is to create an environment where students feel safe and welcome regardless of their gender or sexuality.

The programme launched following a 2022 report found that 76% of Ireland LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe in post-primary schools. Furthermore, the Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland research published in May 2024 demonstrates that compared to the general youth population, LGBTQ+ young people experience three times the level of severe depression and anxiety symptoms as well as five times the level of suicide attempts.

However, the 2022 School Climate Survey additionally showed that simply adding LGBTQ+ topics to a curriculum resulted in young people feeling 11% more likely to feel accepted by the student body, 22% more likely to feel like they belong at school, and 8% less likely to miss days of school due to feeling unsafe. As a result, the Irish youth charity’s initiative drives awareness about how schools are able to help students feel safer and more accepted through proactive interventions.

Speaking about the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark, Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To said: “At Belong To, we are proud to support more than 150 schools and Youthreach centres which have joined us on the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark journey so far. As our programme grows, we are excited to welcome more educators and students from schools across Ireland to the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark initiative.”

Griffith added: “Research shows that effective school-based interventions, and a high level of staff support for LGBTQ+ identities, result in a more positive school experience for LGBTQ+ students. With our evidence-based LGBTQ+ Quality Mark we are committed to supporting schools to create safe, equal and inclusive school communities for LGBTQ+ students.”

 

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Niamh Sheridan, Deputy Principal, St. Joseph’s Secondary School Westmeath said: “The LGBTQ+ Quality Mark has been an invaluable asset to our school community. It has provided us with the tools to assess where we are in relation to becoming a fully LGBTQ+ safe and supportive school. The resources provided are excellent in helping to educate staff and students alike. It has helped us to reach highly effective practice in this area and is a benchmark for excellence.”

Over 100 schools across the country have already embarked on this programme, and schools and individual teachers are encouraged to sign up to take part in the initiative for the 2024-2025 academic year. Applications are open until the end of September at www.belongto.org.

Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland is the national organisation for LGBTQ+ young people in Ireland. Since 2003, Belong To has offered advice, information, and crisis counselling for LGBTQ+ young people and their families, and they work to ensure that professionals are educated to meet and support their needs.