Training and Workshops

Cara-Friend offers a number of training packages to schools and youth clubs – for staff as well as directly for young people – to help make schools in Northern Ireland a better place for young people identifying as LGBT, and those questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

We also offer advice for schools and youth clubs who have questions about supporting students who identify as LGBT, and one-to-one support for young people in schools and youth clubs who might benefit from it. The training and workshops listed below can be adapted for any workplace if you would like to inquire, just contact us on the email below.

Our LGBT Awareness Training delivery covers everything you need to know about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in Northern Ireland. It is designed to make staff more confident in tackling LGBT issues, and filling in any missing gaps in their knowledge. We can deliver to this to staff, with workshops catered to the needs of the particular school, or section of the staff. For example, we deliver LGBT Awareness Training that is tailored for inclusive RSE and Pastoral Care models. Contact us to book an LGBT Awareness Training session for your school or youth group staff for your next Staff Training Day or similar.

This workshop is designed specifically for the school setting and is available to all schools in Northern Ireland. Our trainers will deliver the workshop to students in medium-sized groups to cover general LGBT awareness, as well as specifically combating the issues of homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. The workshops are designed to build students’ awareness of the issues LGBT young people face on a day-to-day basis and to eliminate bullying and stigma faced by LGBT youth, by tackling ignorance and negative attitudes. Contact the Cara-Friend LGBT Youth team to book a Cara-Friend – ShoutOut workshop for your school on the email below.

OUTStanding is available to youth workers, and all professionals and volunteers, who work with young people, to make their professional practice more inclusive of and responsive to the needs of LGBT young people. It is specifically designed for a youth work setting but is also applicable for counsellors, police, social workers and anyone else who wants to improve their knowledge around LGBT inclusive work practice. This is a more in-depth look at issues faced by LGBT young people than the shorter LGBT Awareness Training listed above.

Coming In is a resource and training package that was designed by Cara-Friend in conjunction with the Education Authority’s Inclusion Unit. It is designed for youth group settings to raise young people’s awareness of the experiences of their LGBT peers, and to tackle issues such as negative language used by young people in groups, homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. It is an excellent way to open dialogue in youth groups and to facilitate the discussion of LGBT issues.