Anti-Homophobic Project Up For Award
An anti-homophobic bullying project delivered by young people in Cardiff is in the running for a brand new national award.
The Youth Anti-Homophobic Bullying Advocates programme (YAHBA), organised jointly by lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) charity Stonewall Cymru and the Cardiff Youth Service-run LGBT youth group Loud and Proud has reached the final of the inaugural Youth Work in Wales Excellence Awards.”
Managed by the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities across Wales and the Voluntary Youth Service, the awards scheme has been designed to showcase innovative and inspiring projects and individuals who work in providing non-formal education opportunities to young people.
YAHBA was nominated in the ‘expressive’ category of the awards, for ‘encouraging and enabling young people to express their emotions and aspirations through creative, sporting and challenging opportunities which raise an awareness of: cultural identity, bilingualism and the value of one's own language, heritage, respect for diversity, and citizenship and respect for others’.
The project was set up by Stonewall Cymru to tackle homophobic bullying in schools and the wider community, using a peer-led approach and supported by adult mentors wanting to tackle the issue in their local area.
Loud and Proud was formed in July 2009, and in just three months attracted more young people than most new youth groups in their first year, said Stonewall Cymru Youth and Education Officer Robert Goddard.
”It is testament to the hard work and commitment of the young people and youth workers involved in Loud and Proud that they have successfully established what will hopefully be the first of many groups across Wales participating in this new and exciting programme to tackle homophobic bullying,” he added.
The Loud and Proud volunteers now help run the YAHBA programme and make decisions on ways in which they can campaign on the issue, such as having written to head teachers of all the schools in Cardiff. They are also planning to produce a DVD showing what it is like to be an LGB young person growing up in Cardiff.
“Young LGB people are often discriminated against and find it difficult to access support, which this project is tackling by empowering young people to challenge the issues and prejudice they face with support,” Robert Goddard added.
“Loud and Proud have been proactive in ensuring that the voice of LGB young people in Cardiff is not overlooked, as happens too frequently and have achieved a lot in their short lifetime.
”The wider community will also benefit from the understanding the group will bring of issues LGB young people face in schools and in society. The project is designed to lead to an increase of support within schools, and teachers and youth workers alike feeling more comfortable and able to support LGB young people.”
Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Children added; “There are more than 20,000 youth workers in Wales - each and every one helping to make a difference to the lives of local young people through their support and encouragement.
“The Youth Work Wales Excellence Awards have been created by the Welsh Assembly Government in conjunction with the Local Authority and Voluntary Youth Service to recognise and reward youth projects and youth workers’ innovation, dedication and hard work and highlight the vital work they do to transform young people’s lives and help ensure that they have a better future.”
Loud and Proud attended the awards on Wednesday 17th March and the YAHBA project received acknowledgment for the outstanding work the young people have achieved since the project first ran. Even though the YAHBA programme did not win the category, it is an achievement in itself as the project has not been running for a year.
