Young people and
homophobic bullying
CHYP IN Network
29 November 2012
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk
supporting 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.uk
supporting 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.uk
supporting 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.uk
supporting 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.uk
supporting 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
www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk
supporting voluntary and community action in Newcastle
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.uk
supporting voluntary and community action in Newcastle