Stewart’s Melville College has been awarded the LGBT Youth Scotland Gold Charter Award. The award follows the introduction of several new initiatives to support the school’s LGBT community and create a more inclusive culture, across the learning environment including:
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Setting up a new GLIDE LGBT Youth Group to provide a safe and supportive space for young people to meet and discuss LGBT issues and ways to prompt conversations on these issues across the school
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Introducing compulsory LGBT training for all staff
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Updating our school policies for staff and pupils to better protect and support our LGBT community and to make them more gender inclusive. Revised policies include our Anti-bullying Policy, Equality and Diversity Policy, Dignity at Work Policy and our Uniform Policy
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Introducing a new Trans Protocol Policy to protect and promote the rights of our trans pupils
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More regular inclusion of LGBT issues across the curriculum and in school assemblies
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Surveying staff and students to identify what changes we needed to make to support our LGBT community and improve education on LGBT issues
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Changing the title “Head Boy” to “School Captain”
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Increasing the number of books reflecting the LGBT community and improving the promotion of these books across the school
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Celebrating dates in the LGBT calendar across the School
LGBT Charter Chair at Stewart’s Melville College, Lauren Thow, was delighted that the School has received the award:
“The LGBT Youth Scotland Gold Charter process has really helped us to review our practices in a structured way and make sure that the LGBTQ+ community feels seen, supported and included.
“Initiatives such as assemblies, LGBT History Month activities, the student GSA club and representation at the Edinburgh Pride March are so important and they have really helped to increase the visibility of LGBTQ+ identities, to educate the school community and to ensure that LGBTQ+ identities are visible and accepted. There has been a significant positive change in the attitude of the School towards the LGBTQ+ community over the course of the charter process and we are so proud to receive the award.”
Conner A, a student at Stewart Melville’s College, comments: “I think that the school achieving gold charter status is amazing and shows that we can march proudly on no matter the circumstances.”
Find out more about LGBT support at Stewart’s Melville College and The Mary Erskine School.
