Cork schools receive LGBTQ+ quality marks for well-being and inclusion

Several Cork schools received the Belong To LGBTQ+ Quality Mark in recent days, recognising their work over an 18-month period to foster LGBTQ+ wellbeing and inclusion for their students.

Among the 44 schools nationally honoured were Carrigaline Community School, Carrigtwohill Community College, Nano Nagle College, St Vincent’s Secondary School, Terence MacSwiney Community College, and Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne.

They were presented with their awards at an event in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, which was hosted by social media influencer and TV presenter James Kavanagh.

Survey

The accreditation initiative was developed by Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland in 2022, following a school climate survey by Columbia University revealing that 76% of LGBTQ+ young people in Ireland do not feel safe in post-primary schools.

Since the pilot programme, over 100 Irish schools and Youthreach centres have embarked on the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark journey to improve the lives and experiences of their LGBTQ+ students.

This is done through a host of practical, proactive actions such establishing an LGBTQ+ and allies club for students, training whole-staff teams on supporting LGBTQ+ students, and promoting the representation of LGBTQ+ families and identities in classroom teaching.

Significant challenge

Speaking about the awards, Belong To CEO Moninne Griffith said that homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia “remain a significant challenge for LGBTQ+ students” across the country.

“In Ireland, compared to the general youth population, LGBTQ+ students are four times more likely to suffer verbal harassment and five times more likely to be physically harassed.

“I want to congratulate all for the actions that they have taken throughout the process and hope that they feel extremely proud to stand with the students and young people from their school or centre today, knowing what a huge impact their work has had and will continue to have on the lives of so many.”