EACH

Summer 2010 sees the successful continuation of EACH's exciting Big Lottery Funded project: REACH.

Throughout the next five years REACH will strive to support lesbian, gay or bisexual young people develop a sense of pride in their identity and help their peers and adults in young people’s settings challenge homophobic bullying. 

The Big Lottery funding is allowing the already established REACH youth group in Bath and North East Somerset to develop and thrive. Additionally, EACH has successfully recruited a Project Coordinator, Emily Hallett to manage the REACH project and we're soon to welcome an assistant youth worker to support her.

A variety of innovative initiatives are planned:

• The delivery of awareness-raising sessions by young people to complement EACH’s ongoing schools’ training in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset and Bristol. Staff will learn about the issues which can profoundly affect young gay people’s well-being and ability to achieve the Government’s five “Every Child Matters” aspirations
• Residential trips, with the support of qualified youth workers, will provide challenging activities to develop young gay people’s confidence, interpersonal and leadership skills
• A wide range of agencies will  be involved and receive training from young people to devise action-plans to help eliminate homophobic bullying and harassment
• Peer mentors across the West of England will be trained-up to raise awareness of the issues affecting lesbian, gay or bisexual young people and receive an accredited award for their efforts

This Big Lottery funding will also allow the REACH youth group in Bath and North East Somerset to develop and thrive. This latest EACH initiative builds on the charity’s established partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council and the three councils of the former county of Avon. 

“EACH’s lottery win, in the year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the United Nations’ ‘Convention of the Rights of the Child’ is most welcome,” comments Jonathan Charlesworth, EACH’s Executive Director and co-author of the Department for Children, Schools and Families’ guidance: "Safe to Learn: Homophobic Bullying”. 

“Far too many homophobically bullied gay young people leave our schools with few or poor qualifications, regardless of their actual academic potential.  This initiative strives to build their confidence in the very institutions set up to nurture them. We want to see many more young people thrive: realise their academic and social potential and engage positively in all aspects of life. Each and every young person participating in this initiative will be encouraged to become the best person they can be.” 

Across England and Wales, EACH provides a freephone Actionline and Online Reporting service for children and young people to report homophobic or transphobic bullying and seek support. Throughout Avon and Somerset this service is also available to adults affected by homophobic or transphobic incidents: Freephone: 0808 1000 143.