‘Difference makes our world interesting’: The teachers helping make schools safe for LGBT children

metro.co.uk:

independent research by Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, that found queer school pupils are twice as likely to be bullied and experience suicidal thoughts.The study further found that schools having positive messaging about being LGBT+ is linked to school pupils having better mental health and wellbeing – regardless of whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender or not.Nicola Collins, who currently teaches Year 1 at St Stephen’s CE Primary School in west London, marks an annual LGBT+ diversity week among other things.She told Metro.co.uk: ‘As part of this week, we teach the children about how different families are made up including those with same-sex parents, and that everyone has an identity and this includes people who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, non-binary and so on.’The 37-year-old has been awarded the charity’s Inclusive Teacher of the Year Award for her outstanding work raising awareness of the LGBT+ community.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video‘Many of the children have fed back that they have learnt so much about how people can be different and that difference makes our world interesting,’ Nicola added.‘They also say that they feel more confident to stand up to those who may have prejudiced views as they have a better understanding of the LGBT+ community.’Also married to her wife with two children, Nicola’s work has a personal connection for her.‘As a gay teacher with children, I talk about my family as a workshop for each year group and share my own experiences of growing up gay and the challenges it brought,’ she added.‘Also how they, as the next generation, have the ability to change our world for.