Department of Education & SkillsAnti‐Bullying Forum

Dr. Carol‐Anne O’ Brien – BeLonG ToSandra Irwin‐Gowran ‐ GLEN

17th May

International Day Against 

Homophobia & Transphobia

Why focus on Homophobic Bullying?

Suicide and Self‐Harm

27% LGBT people self‐harmed.

50% LGBT < 25 seriously thought of ending their lives.

20%  LGBT < 25 attempted suicide 

‐ Correlation between Homophobic Bullying and the above.

Isolation

Moving from...

To...

Effectively Addressing Homophobic Bullying

Addressing Homophobic Bullying: Department of Education & Skills

Department of Education 

& Skills 

Operating from the principle of equality, LGBT people are mainstreamed in all areas of the Department’s work with schools.

Addressing Homophobic Bullying: Schools

•Whole‐school approaches addressing homophobic bullying, safety, support and affirmation of LGBT young people.•Proactive involvement of stakeholders and all the education partners.

Schools

Addressing Homophobic Bullying: Teacher Education 

•Understanding of homophobic bullying and impacts•Build capacity to address homophobic bullying and affirmation of LGBT students •ITE and CPD

Teacher Education 

Addressing Homophobic Bullying:Monitoring & Evaluation

Internal and external evaluations ask questions about:•Homophobic bullying•Support of LGBT young people

Monitoring & 

Evaluation

Important Advances• DES funded research• BeLonG To’s campaigns 

› Stop Homophobic Bullying Campaign› Stand Up!

• Department /Education Partner/GLEN Guidelines

› Principals and School Leaders› Guidance Counsellors› Teachers› BOM (in progress)

Important Advances• Political Leadership

› Presidents of Ireland ‘there is still an undercurrent of bias and hostility which young gay people must find deeply hurtful and inhibiting’ (President McAleese, 2007). The ‘appalling destructive reality of homophobic bullying’ (President Higgins, 2012).

› Minister Ruairi Quinn ‘Bullying of all forms, and targeted bullying of young LGBT people in particular, should receive no welcome in our schools and society’ (May 2011). Recently established WG, the first task of which is to address homophobic bullying ‐ ‘draft a roadmap towards the elimination of homophobic bullying from our schools’.

› UN Sectretary General, Ban Ki‐moon – homophobic bullying is ‘a moral outrage, a grave violation of human rights’ (December 2011).

› Programme for Government commits to ‘encourage schools to develop anti‐bullying policies and in particular, strategies to combat homophobic bullying to support students’

› UNESCO ‐ UN Global Manual of Good Policy and Practice for Tackling Homophobic Bullying in Education

• SPHE Support Service – training and resources• Stand Up!

Thank You!

Video Embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrJxqvalFxM)