Our Work In London
In 2017 Consortium led a partnership of LGBT+ Groups and academics in exploring the needs of LGBT+ Londoners. The Project, and subsequent report Still Out There revealed a picture of inequality and limited access to services for LGBT People in London.
Out of the Still Out There Report, two distinct Projects have emerged:
Always Out There: Mapping and Capacity Building
Always Out There is a three year funded project, now in year 3 that has two aims, to map support and services for LGBT+ in London and to work with a range of LGBT+ Groups and stakeholders to fill the gaps that have been identified through the mapping process.
throughout this project LGBT HERO have led on creating, populating and managing an online directory/mapping tool of LGBT services in London. You can find the FindOut map here.
Consortium have focused on providing capacity-building support to LGBT voluntary and community organisations across London so that they can address the gaps highlighted by the mapping work.
In year 3 of the project, Consortium will be focusing on filling some of those gaps and this will happen in two main ways,
- by working with LGBT+ Groups to help them design and, where possible, deliver new or extended services to fill the gaps identified.
- by working with commissioners and funders to develop their understanding of how a lack of LGBT+ services needs to be addressed
We will also continue to offer general support to of our London based Members.
Our LGBT London Engagement Officer, Martin, works 4 days a week as part of the Consortium’s existing Engagement team and our Trans Organisations Network Officer, Shaan, works one day a week to make sure that Trans groups and communities thrive in London.
Martin acts as our key contact for our Membership across London supporting them with a range of issues (e.g. good governance & financial accountability) to enabling all LGBT voices to be heard. Please email Martin to find out more.
Home: LGBT+ Sector Sharing Assets
Home: an innovative new partnership of 9 London based LGBT+ charities that is aiming to scale up and join up LGBT+ services and support in the capital to address inequalities in health, wealth, opportunities and rights.
HOME has three main work streams:
- Assets – We are working together to move towards co-location of the HOME charity partners across the capital to create sustainable, join-ed up services and accessible spaces for the LGBT+ community.
- Fundraising – We are working together to identify opportunities to raise additional funds for the sector in order to scale up the services and support available to LGBT+ Londoners.
- Voice – We are working together to develop joint messages and policy calls to raise awareness of the needs of the LGBT+ community and the charity sector that represents it.
The Partnership consists of nine organisations:
- ELOP
- GALOP
- Gendered Intelligence
- HERO
- Switchboard - LGBT+ Helpline
- Mosaic LGBT+ Youth Centre
- London Friend
- Stonewall Housing
- Consortium
The London LGBT+ HOME Partnership is incubated and overseen by Consortium.
Contact Harry, Home's Project Coordinator here
NetEquality
Grass roots equality groups and equality partners in London are working together over to design, test and pilot exciting new ways to use online tools to strengthen connections and quickly and easily share information and knowledge.
Funded by National Community Lottery Fund and led by Hear Equality, Consortium is working with a range of partners including Inclusion London and The Refugee Council The aim of the project is to co-produce a system that uses digital tools to build and strengthen networks across equalities, enabling better opportunities for collaboration, campaigning and solidarity.
Contact Vicky to find out more or to be part of our the pilot project.
London LGBTIQA+ Housing Manifesto
There is a chronic lack of provision of LGBTIQA+ community housing in London reflecting an absence of understanding the specific issues, needs and disadvantages facing many LGBTIQA+ citizens. We have been working with our members Stonewall Housing, akt, The Outside project, Micro Rainbow and Stonewall to create a LGBTIQA+ Housing manifesto for the Mayoral election in London.
The manifesto highlights some of the pressing challenges for LGBT+ Londoners and recommends actions for the prospective next Mayor of London to commit to that will make a significant difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged LGBTIQA+ people in the Capital.
It will show an understanding and commitment to LGBTIQA+ citizens that goes far beyond the City Hall Pride reception.
You can read the manifesto here
Still Out There: A Study into the Unmet Needs of LGBT+ People and Communiteis in London
In 2016 Consortium, funded by Trust For London, led a exploration of the needs of LGBT+ Londoners.
Research carried out by Anglia Ruskin University led to the project publishing a full report on the unmet needs along with a series of recommendations.
The research presented a worrying picture for many LGBT+ individuals accessing both specialist and mainstream services, despite great strides in LGBT rights. The study highlighted and confirmed our growing concerns around prejudice, safety and poverty.
It was this research that inspired both Always Out There and Home, both working to address the long standing problems evidenced by Still Out There with innovative community led solutions
Download the full Still Out There Report here