The Gibraltar Youth Service team embarked on LGBTQi+ training from the 10 - 12th of February 2022.
The training consisted of looking at the ‘Every Child Matters’ framework that came into play in the UK in 2003 and understanding how the service can address the welfare of LGBTQi+ young people. The attendees looked at the historical timeline of how the British laws have decriminalised activity through the years for the LGBTQi+ community, and looked at the local Gibraltar laws to show the progress made and how it has had an impact and a positive effect in Gibraltar.
The course was conducted by Moira Smyth founder of ‘Achieving Best Practice ’ and Lesley Buckland programme organiser, both specialists in delivering bespoke training programmes that build capacity, especially in the youth, community, and social work sector and for organisations working with young people. They have delivered a number of personal and professional development courses including Understanding Group Work with Young People, Supervision, Reflective Practice, Communication Skills as well as issue based training such as sexual health and more recently for Gibraltar Youth service LGBTQI+ training.
Training was delivered to the whole team including a group of new trainees. One of the powerful aspects of the day consisted of a panel of young people who were brave enough to give their testimonies about their life experiences to the whole team.
The training proved to be incredibly successful and the staff have felt that their needs are being addressed in terms of understanding the complexities of the needs of the LGBTQi + in our local context.
The Minister for Youth, the Hon Steven Linares opened the training and said: “I fully support these innovative training and initiatives conducted by the Gibraltar Youth Service. It is paramount that our staff are up to speed with such topics of importance like LGBTQI to be able to understand and cater for the young people in our community regardless of their gender type, religious belief or ethnic group”.
