NYCI Research on LGBTI+ Procedures, Policies and Guidelines in the Irish Youth Work Sector

We invite youth work managers and directors, youth workers, and youth work leaders to complete the survey. It should take less than 20 minutes to complete.

The purpose of the research is to understand the equality, inclusion and diversity policy landscape in the Irish youth work sector. Our survey asks about policies, procedural documents or practice guidelines – i.e. whatever formal method you use to plan, document and guide your inclusive youth work practice, and more specifically your inclusion of LGBTI+ young people.

NYCI’s Equality and Intercultural Programme, along with our member, BeLonG To Youth Services, Ireland’s National LGBTI+ youth organisation, want to support youth work organisations to ensure that youth services are welcoming, safe and inclusive of all young people, including LGBTI+ young people. Policies send out a strong message to young people, staff and volunteers, that LGBTI+ people are valued and equal members of the community and that they will be supported within the youth work setting. One part of this work is developing and implementing effective organisational policies, procedures and plans and ensuring they are LGBTI+ inclusive. Making specific reference to diversity and difference (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics [SOGIESC]) in youth work service policies sends an important message to all young people, volunteers and staff, including LGBTI+ young people, volunteers and staff, that they are valued and equal members of the community and that they will be supported within the youth work setting.

Together, with BeLonG To Youth Services, NYCI believes that an LGBTI+ policy can and should sit within an organisations wider equality, inclusion and diversity policy/procedures/guidelines document and/or Strategic Plan.

NYCI is named in the LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy as a support organisation for the youth work sector in developing LGBTI+ policies. Therefore, this research is designed to guide us at NYCI in creating our response to the youth work sector and to inform our continuing work with BeLonG To Youth Services – i.e. to develop and deliver trainings, to offer 1 to 1 guidance on writing a policy, to develop further resources, or offer other supports that suit the youth work sector’s needs in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion.

We know that equality and inclusion policy development in the youth work sector is varied and that policy development does not necessarily reflect the actual practice in any one organisation. For this reason this survey looks at both practice and policy.

Please answer the questions honestly, as they serve to help us understand how we can help youth work organisations around their needs moving forward. The survey is anonymous – unless you choose to leave contact details for us to follow up on any requests for support. It should take less than 20 minutes to complete and you should not need any documents to hand to complete it.

Grounding our approach to the need for LGBTI+ inclusive policies and procedures is the knowledge that many of us are working with young people who have not disclosed their identity yet. Whether someone chooses to come out or not, or is currently attending your service or not, young LGBTI+ people should feel fully supported by youth work services. This is why we believe it is important to create a policy around diversity and inclusion that assumes the presence of LGBTI+ young people in our organisations.

Question Title

* 1. I feel I comfortably understand language and terminology relating to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Strongly Agree

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 2. Does your organisation deliver programmes that consciously support inclusion, diversity and respect?

Yes

Somewhat

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* 3. Does your organisation deliver programmes that consciously include the needs and identities of LGBTI+ youth?

Yes

Somewhat

If you feel there is something more on this that is important, please enter it here:

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* 4. Does your organisation support trans, non-binary, or questioning young people in any of the following ways (you can tick multiple boxes or none)?

Providing gender neutral toilets

Using correct pronouns

Creating forms that include the option to identify as non-binary, trans, other

Using of other gender non-presumptive language

While some people in the organisation support young LGBTI+ people however they can, whilst others don't

Making our service/organisation a safer space through awareness raising, and making the space clearly welcoming to LGBTI+ young people

Addressing homophobia, transphobia and biphobia

I am unsure

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* 5. Does your organisation's equality, inclusion and diversity policy/procedures/guidelines and/or statement of practice mention adapting programmes and services to make them accessible for all, which would encompass some of the ways listed in the last question?

Yes

We don't have policy/procedure/guidelines/a statement of practice around this

I don't have this information to hand right now

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* 6. Does your organisation provides access to diversity and inclusion training to it's staff and volunteers (you can tick multiple boxes)

Yes, to all staff and volunteers

Yes, but only to staff

Yes, but it is optional

It is written into our equality, inclusion and diversity policy/procedures/guidelines and/or statement of practice that diversity and inclusion training must be provided to all new staff and volunteers

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* 7. Do you feel the training:

Helped to improve your ability to think and talk about LGBTI+ topics

Improved your ability to support LGBTI+ young people in my work/organisation

Enhanced your understanding of the intersectionality of discrimination

Didn't help

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* 8. Do you feel your organisation effectively communicates it is a safer space for someone to express their gender identity or sexual orientation (ie. through a range of initiatives your organisation has undertaken such as visuals, culture, language, and awareness trainings)?

Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree or Disagree

Strongly Agree

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 9. Do you feel respect and tolerance for diversity is reflected in reality?

To be honest, no.

Somewhat yes, somewhat no.

Yes, our youth service is fully inclusive of all service users, participants, staff and parent(s), irrespective of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.