LGBT Youth Scotland
Encyclopedia
LGBT Youth Scotland is a voluntary organisation dedicated to the inclusion of Lesbian
, Gay
, Bisexual and Transgender
(LGBT
) young people (12-26yr olds) in the life of Scotland
. It was established in November 1989 as the Stonewall Youth Project by members of the LGBT community in Edinburgh
.
In April 2003 Stonewall Youth Project became a national organisation and was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (No.244805) with charitable status (SC024047) under the name by which it is known today.
The National Head Quarters are in Edinburgh
and services are provided for LGBT
young people in Dumfries
, Dundee
, Edinburgh
, Galashiels
, and Glasgow
.
, Policy work, Research, Training for Professionals.
In November 2008, LGBT Youth Scotland has begun providing volunteering opportunities for those over the age of 26 as a part of the National Development Team's Capacity Building Project.
Unlike many youth-steered organisations, LGBT Youth Scotland is not completely peer led, and relies upon experienced volunteers and paid staff to keep services running. The organisation is one of the largest employers in Scotland within the LGBT sector with over 30 full-time paid staff members, with many more part time staff and volunteers.
LGBT young people are involved directly by their formation and support of Scotland's LGBT National Youth Council (NYC). The NYC is made up of elected youth representatives from all across Scotland, and is responsible for gathering the views, issues and aspirations of Scotland's LGBT youth population in order to feed them back to the people who can make a real difference, such as MSPs
and local authorities. It brings together youth groups as well as individuals under one umbrella organisation. The service users elect two members of the Scottish Youth Parliament
.
In 2004 the youth volunteers of the organisation won the Philip Lawrence
Award for Community Safety.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, Gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, Bisexual and Transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) young people (12-26yr olds) in the life of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It was established in November 1989 as the Stonewall Youth Project by members of the LGBT community in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
In April 2003 Stonewall Youth Project became a national organisation and was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (No.244805) with charitable status (SC024047) under the name by which it is known today.
The National Head Quarters are in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and services are provided for LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
young people in Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
Objectives
LGBT Youth Scotland provides a range of services and opportunities for young people, families and professionals. LGBT Youth Scotland’s vision is that every LGBT young person will be included in the life of Scotland and shall:- Have a safe and supportive upbringing
- Better health and wellbeing
- Be able to reach their full potential
Programs
Services provided by LGBT Youth Scotland include: Direct Services for LGBT young people including support groups, advice and support, events and volunteering, National Projects including LGBT History MonthLGBT History Month
LGBT History Month is a month-long annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It is observed during October in the United States, to include National Coming Out Day on October 11...
, Policy work, Research, Training for Professionals.
In November 2008, LGBT Youth Scotland has begun providing volunteering opportunities for those over the age of 26 as a part of the National Development Team's Capacity Building Project.
Unlike many youth-steered organisations, LGBT Youth Scotland is not completely peer led, and relies upon experienced volunteers and paid staff to keep services running. The organisation is one of the largest employers in Scotland within the LGBT sector with over 30 full-time paid staff members, with many more part time staff and volunteers.
LGBT young people are involved directly by their formation and support of Scotland's LGBT National Youth Council (NYC). The NYC is made up of elected youth representatives from all across Scotland, and is responsible for gathering the views, issues and aspirations of Scotland's LGBT youth population in order to feed them back to the people who can make a real difference, such as MSPs
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
and local authorities. It brings together youth groups as well as individuals under one umbrella organisation. The service users elect two members of the Scottish Youth Parliament
Scottish Youth Parliament
The Scottish Youth Parliament, also known as SYP, is a democratic, politically independent, inclusive, charity set up by a group of passionate youth workers as a national voice for young people in Scotland....
.
In 2004 the youth volunteers of the organisation won the Philip Lawrence
Philip Lawrence
Philip Ambrose Lawrence QGM, was a London-based headmaster who was stabbed to death outside the gates of his school when he went to the aid of a pupil who was being attacked by a gang.-Biography:...
Award for Community Safety.