Page 24-25 - WINTER 2013

We’re out as an
equal opportunities employer!
The Diversity Promise
At Bournemouth Borough Council
we will ensure everyone will have fair access to our services,
be socially inclusive in all our functions and activities,
be transparent in all we do and value our customers and staff.
ma k i ng i t ha ppen !
Bournemouth has a cosmopolitan social environment
which attracts over five million visitors each year.
As the largest employer in Bournemouth — and
as Stonewall Workplace Equality Champions —
we pride ourselves on valuing our staff. We
appreciate their wide range of skills and
abilities which helps us to deliver
our services.
We respect each of our residents
and visitors and value the diversity
of our communities. We rise to the
challenges diversity brings and
relish the opportunities it creates.
www.bournemouth.gov.uk
We want schools to be places where children and young people feel happy, able to be themselves and enjoy
learning, free from bullying. We have been working with our schools and other partners to help them ensure
staff and pupils can feel confident that homophobic bullying and language will be addressed. We know from
OFSTED research and from Stonewall’s School Report that this is a big challenge for schools everywhere.
Bournemouth Borough Council recognised the high quality of the work Stonewall has been doing and decided
that joining the Education Champions programme would help us build on the excellent work that was
happening locally. So, what have we been doing?
Celebrating Diversity
We are proud to be in the Stonewall Education Champions top ten.
Bournemouth - No Place for Bullies
Celebrating family diversity!
One of our primary schools, Malmesbury Park, is
part of the Stonewall School Champions programme
and features in the Stonewall ‘Primary Best Practice’
Guide. The school developed lesson plans around
‘Different Families’ covering same sex parents
alongside other family types such as single parent
families, foster parents, step parents and adoption. It
increased children’s self awareness of, and gave them a
sense of pride in, their own family.
The next step is to develop a similar teaching pack
for secondary schools so, Winton Arts and Media
College has been commissioned by the local authority
to produce lesson plans and resources to build on the
primary Family Diversity lesson. This development
will also link with material being developed for older
secondary students by SPACE LGBTQ Youth project
who’s main aim is to support young LGBT people in
Dorset.
Giving advice and guidance:
The ‘Bournemouth Anti-Bullying Pack’ outlines what
schools must, should and could do in relation to Anti-
Bullying ethos, policy, professional development,
curriculum, early intervention and support, and
accountability.
As well as our programme of Wellbeing &
PSHEe Networks, at which staff from schools and
specialist agencies are invited to lead awareness
raising activities and share their practice, we run
regular training for school governors. Celebration
of difference and prevention of homophobia are
included in this programme of training, as well
as briefings about the latest Ofsted guidance and
legislative framework relating to Anti-Bullying and
homophobic bullying.
Young people
The LA supported a Bournemouth University
consultancy project looking at discrimination in a
range of sports with a view to creating guidelines and
recommendations to combat bullying in schools. The
project focused on secondary school children, seeking
the views of young people to gain insight into their
personal experiences.
We have also run a local ‘Make a Difference
Challenge’ which equips young people with the
knowledge and skills to design and run campaigns of
their choice including themes of Anti-Bullying and
celebrating diversity.
Our Youth Service give advice and information to
young people particularly at ‘SUSSED’ a service run
by a partnership of the LA, Health, Listening Ear and
Connexions. There is also The Friday Night Girls’
Work Project - an open access session for 15 - 18 year
old lesbian and bisexual young women providing a
safe space to be able to discuss their needs and issues
in more detail.
The Local Authority also supports Space Youth
Project, a group for young people who are lesbian,
gay, bisexual, trans or just unsure. Young people get
the opportunity to meet other people and make new
friends, chat, go out, plan events and have fun! We
are now working closely with Space Youth project
to raise awareness of homophobic and trans phobic
bullying in schools and other youth based settings.
We also have a range web based resources to
support young people, including ‘F-risky’ an advice
service provided jointly by Bournemouth & Poole
Community Health Services and Bournemouth
Borough Council. As part of the local CAMHS work
there is also a website for young people that points
them to local services, including for anti-bullying and
advice on sexuality issues called “Where’s Your Head
At?”