Hi Laura, thank you very much for doing this. First off, could you tell us a little bit more about the mission and vision of Just Like Us?
Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people’s charity whose mission is to support and empower LGBT+ young people to live awesome lives. Growing up LGBT+ is still unacceptably tough and Just Like Us exists to change that. We want all young people to thrive in school; throughout their education, and develop their skills and confidence as they join the world of work. We work with schools, running three key programmes: School Diversity Week, Pride Groups and School Talks delivered by our 18 to 25-year-old volunteer ambassadors.
How long have you been with the organisation?
I’ve been CEO at Just Like Us for a year, as of yesterday! Prior to joining the charity, I worked in education for almost fifteen years.
Congratulations! What are some of the biggest challenges that young LGBT+ people face today?
In school, LGBT+ young people are twice as likely to be bullied, feel lonely, and suffer with poor mental health in comparison to their straight peers. There is still a stigma around being LGBT+ which makes it difficult young people to feel confident to be themselves at school. Recently, trans young people have found it especially challenging to feel seen and heard, and to navigate discrimination and misinformation about their own lives and experiences.
How does Just Like Us work to alleviate these challenges?
Our programmes in schools help to address these challenges. We provide schools with a plethora of resources, especially during School Diversity Week, which is a celebration of diversity and inclusion. Pride Groups create safe spaces for LGBT+ young people in secondary schools. And our ambassadors are young, relatable role models who talk to secondary pupils about their own personal experiences of growing up LGBT+. This powerful storytelling is not only a source of support for pupils but therapeutic and empowering for the ambassadors themselves. Our ambassadors can also participate in skills development and media opportunities, building their confidence as advocates for LGBT+ inclusion.
Can you explain what School Diversity Week is and why it’s important?
During School Diversity Week in June, over 7,000 schools organise a range of activities to celebrate LGBT+ inclusion. Schools run fundraisers, and awareness campaigns, hold assemblies and book school talks. It’s an opportunity for schools to support LGBT+ young people, and staff, by showcasing their commitment to diversity and inclusion, supported by resources and guidance from Just Like Us.
Could you describe the Ambassador Programme and its impact?
Our Ambassador Programme is for 18 to 25-year-old volunteers who are trained to speak in secondary schools, telling their personal stories and advocating for LGBT+ inclusion. Besides building their confidence through the School Talks programme, they can also choose to participate in various skills sessions, including leadership, advocacy and media training delivered by Just Like Us and our corporate or charity partners. We also offer a Mentoring programme where ambassadors are paired with professionals who help them develop their careers. The programme is incredibly impactful, providing both personal and professional growth for the ambassadors, and powerful role models for school pupils.
What has been the impact of your programmes, and could you share any success stories?
We receive plenty of positive feedback from schools about the impact of our programmes. Pupils report that our School Talks increases their understanding of LGBT+ experiences and how to support their peers through allyship; school staff tell us that the School Diversity Week programme improves their confidence and ability to know how to support LGBT+ young people at school. Pupils who are lucky enough to have staff who run a Pride Group in their school, report that they feel more comfortable about their identity and are able to take part in activities to improve the lives of LGBT+ people; they also say that the group has increased the visibility of LGBT+ topics across the school. Our diverse group of volunteers on the Ambassador Programme say that sharing their stories is a wonderful experience and they feel like the role models they never had at school. They also tell us how incredible it is to have a mentor and that they feel more employable as a result of the skills sessions we offer.
What are your future goals for Just Like Us?
We want to increase our ability to empower young people by offering them further opportunities to have their voices heard and influence our work in schools and the wider society. We aim to expand our reach through School Diversity Week, particularly in primary schools and across all schools in Scotland and Wales. Next year, we launch a partnership with a Scottish charity so more secondary pupils in Scotland will have the opportunity to hear school talks from local ambassadors. We also want to improve parental engagement and support schools in being more inclusive, providing better resources for LGBT+ families. And we’re looking to make all of our programmes more accessible, especially considering the financial challenges many schools face.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
The most rewarding part is spending time with the young people we work with and hearing their stories and aspirations for the future. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see the impact of our programmes on their lives and their enthusiasm for the work we do.
If someone is interested in supporting Just Like Us, how can they get involved?
There are many ways to get involved, whether that is through donating to the charity, supporting their employer to sponsor or partner with us, becoming a mentor, or participating in our campaigns. For instance, we’re running the 190 Challenge throughout the summer, asking people to set up a JustGiving page and run, walk, or cycle 190 kilometres to raise awareness of the 190 days children spend at school each year. If they’d rather have a more relaxing summer, they can support me as I take on cycling 190 miles in a day on the 14th July! More details can be found on our website or on Instagram.
Thank you very much for your time, Laura. Good luck with School Diversity Week and all your future initiatives.
Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate the opportunity to share our work.
