National Lottery Grants £400,000 to LGBTQ+ School Clubs

In a groundbreaking move, the National Lottery has allocated a generous grant of over £400,000 to an LGBTQ+ youth organization, Just Like Us, to bolster its Pride school clubs. The funding, which will be distributed over the course of three years by the National Lottery Community Fund, signifies a significant step towards expanding the Pride Groups program.

Just Like Us operates a nationwide network of lunchtime and after-school clubs in secondary schools that offer safe havens for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies to gather, learn, and access support. This substantial financial boost will empower the charity to enhance its existing program, extending its reach to approximately 16,000 students across 1,600 secondary schools throughout the United Kingdom.

Laura Mackay, the CEO of Just Like Us, expressed her gratitude, stating, "All young people deserve to feel that school is a safe place where they are supported to be themselves, and I cannot thank National Lottery players enough for helping make this a reality for LGBT+ pupils across England and Wales."

The positive impact of these Pride clubs on school environments is already evident. Phil East, an English teacher at Park Hall Academy in the West Midlands, shared his enthusiasm, saying, "Running Pride groups last year, alongside other staff, with the help of the brilliant resources from Just Like Us, was one of the most fulfilling and rewarding aspects of my 20-year teaching career." He emphasized that the program has fostered a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all students within the academy.

Research commissioned by Just Like Us earlier this year highlighted the long-term importance of support for LGBTQ+ individuals during their formative years. The findings indicated that those who received support at home and school during their youth were more likely to experience happiness and fulfillment in adulthood.