THEGAYUK WINTER 13 /14 Issue 1
INTERVIEW
Moores. To get these vital messages out to young
teachers right at the start of their careers is an exciting
privilege. I already have my first cohorts of Inclusion
For All newly qualified teachers enthusiastically out
and about in the North of England, leading antihomophobia training in their new schools which gives
me real hope for the future. I have just established two
Inclusion For All 'satellite school's one in Wirral and
one in Liverpool with more to follow in the South next
year. Small step by small step, we are reaching the
people we need to and hopefully changing the hearts we
need to.
!
Are you government funded, are you raising the
profile of this campaign through your own
pocket?
!
Since 2009 IFA has been completely funded out of my
own pocket (which of course is not sustainable) with
the exception of three charitable donations in as many
years. As the project
grew I made IFA into a
small charitable
organisation and the
aim next year is to
become a fully
registered charity.
People can however
make a donation online.
experience as a school leader and consultant. It very
soon struck me that schools actually already have the
skills they need to do this work, they just need to be
confident and feel empowered to do so.
!
In January 2010 I delivered the training in my own
school with hugely positive results, it seemed obvious
to me then that I should offer the training to other local
schools so I did.
!
Very soon the Department for Education, OFSTED,
Stonewall and the National College for School
Leadership were all knocking at our door asking about
our work, often expressing surprise that this work was
being led by a primary school, which to me seems the
obvious place for the foundations of acceptance to be
laid. I was then invited to speak at Stonewall Education
For All, local authority anti-bulling events and at the
National College of School Leaders conferences. Soon
after I was invited to blog for Gay Star News, The
Huffington Post and The
Guardian.
!
Since those early days back
in 2009 I have now worked
with hundreds of teachers,
trainee teachers and spoken
at some of the most prolific
anti-bullying conferences
and human rights agencies
in the country which still
amazes me. Sometimes I
have to pinch myself at the
wonderful opportunities that
continue to come my way
which all help to get these
vital life-changing messages
out there. I never really
thought anyone would listen
to me at the start, so each
and every opportunity is one
to cherish.
!
My school obviously has
to charge cover for any
training that takes me
out of school and we
charge £80 a day for
our in house antihomophobic bullying
training days; this
covers handouts,
resources, online
resources, school audit
tool, lunch and
refreshments.
The next one is in
March 14th and June
18th 2014. Bookings can
be made by calling Alfred Salter Primary School on
0207 252 3676.
!
!
!
Really I would like to start advertising our training
nationally, but this costs a lot of money.
Why did you start your campaign?
In 2009 we undertook pupil voice data in our school
which flagged up a massive issue with homophobic
bullying and language in and around local schools.
Alarmed by these statistics I sought out the national
picture which also showed the huge scale of the
problem. As a survivor of sustained homophobic
bullying myself back in the 80s I was appalled and
angered that children in 2009 were suffering in the
same way.
!
Over Christmas 2009 I devised a training strategy
called Inclusion For All using my own experiences as a
stimulus and then drawing upon my skills and
!
distinction?
How does it feel to be
recognised by IoS as a
‘Pink’ Man of
!
It's lovely and very surprising to be on the Pink List for
the second year in a row alongside some very
inspirational people. It is wonderful to be recognised
and a big 'thank you' hug to everyone