LGBTQ+ commitment to action

GM Moving LGBTQ+ Network: Commitment to Action

People and partners across Greater Manchester have come together to develop the GM Moving LGBTQ+ network. Together, they have developed this commitment to action.

What are we doing?

Working together to create a Greater Manchester that enables active lives for LGBTQ+ people.

Why is this work needed?

We know from data, evidence, research, our experiences and those of our children, friends, and colleagues, that LGBTQ+ experience greater barriers to engagement in active lives. We are committed to changing that for the better.

Greater Manchester people and partners are taking a whole system approach to supporting Active Lives for All, through GM Moving: our movement for movement. Colleagues and partners have come together with vision, ambition, and commitment to action on this important area of work.

What is the opportunity we have?

Together we can create the culture, conditions and practices that support movement, physical activity, and sport in inclusive and welcoming ways, so that LGBTQ+ people of all ages and backgrounds feel that an active life is normal, welcoming and something to be proud of.

Across Greater Manchester we have people with skills, knowledge, energy, and commitment on this agenda. They want to work together as a network to support an inclusive movement for movement and connect to the youth voice networks throughout.

Where are we starting?

We know that to make change happen, we need to start somewhere and follow it everywhere! There are people in this network with wide ranging roles from health, youth work, sport, leisure, culture, LGBTQ+ charities and much more. We have a shared purpose in this agenda and are committed to inclusion in everything we do, across the life course, in every place and sector.

Together, we are starting with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ young people’s experiences. This need has come through strongly in our conversations work so far as a collective priority:

• In education settings: as part of whole school approaches to movement, activity, PE, and sport.
• In youth and community settings: supporting youth activity providers to make movement, physical activity, and sport part of what they do with and for young people.
• In community leisure, sport, and physical activity settings: supporting providers of activity to become more inclusive and welcoming of our LGBTQ+ young people.

We know from experience that if we start here, we can ensure that the ripple effect of the work and the learning changes wider culture, policy, and practice for people in all LGBTQ+ age groups.

How will we work together?

We have started to develop a GM Moving LGBTQ+ Inclusion Network which meets online every two months. It is a safe, non-judgemental space for people to bring their ideas, their questions so we can learn together. It is open to everyone, and can be joined by emailing [email protected]

This network come together to share stories of their work, their learning, personal and professional challenges and to work together on some key priorities, which are reviewed as the network develops.

There are a few strands to the current work:

1. Creating change by changing the conversation: developing shared commitment and narrative that is owned and used by all involved.
2. Developing knowledge, awareness, understanding and confidence of people working and volunteering in Greater Manchester (eg through webinars, training, communities of learning and promoting support services that are available through partners).
3. Developing resources, tools, imagery, and examples of good practice that can be used by all. It is always growing, so please email [email protected] with suggestions or additions.
4. Diversify and widen the networks with children and young people work to support LGBTQ+ specific work and build capability and capacity in the physical activity provider and youth sectors workforce.