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Description
This project addresses the problem of discrimination and violence towards transgender children and young people in Polish schools. Poland is the most homophobic country in the EU, and young LGBT+ people face particular hardship - more than 70% consider suicide, half display signs of depression, and ¼ encounter violence at school. Meanwhile, teachers do not react to homophobia and transphobia, and lack the tools and competences to raise the subject in lessons. There are however countries such as Iceland, which have introduced systems to provide support for transgender schoolchildren.The Project Promoter will issue two reports in the project – one on the lessons learned in Iceland when opening a trans-inclusive school, and the other on the situation of transgender people in Polish schools. A school handbook will also be produced, inspired by practices in Iceland and adapted to Polish conditions. It will include recommendations for school governing bodies on measures to make school safe, open, and trans-inclusive. The Project Promoter will also hold a webinar on how to use the handbook.The project is intended to help transgender children and young people. The project will increase knowledge and skills of school personnel in devising and implementing trans-inclusive school standards, and preventing violence and suicide attempts among LGBT+ school children. This will make school safer and a place of support for transgender children and young people.The Office of the Ombudsman for Children in Iceland will participate in the project, and share know-how on the Icelandic system, as will the Warsaw Centre for Socio-Educational Innovation and Training, which will support the Project Promoter in consultations with headteachers and teaching and psychology staff, and in distributing the publication in state schools in Warsaw.
Summary of project results
The project responded to the problem of discrimination and violence against transgender youth in Polish schools. Poland is the most homophobic country in the European Union, and LGBT+ youth are in a particularly difficult situation - more than 70% have suicidal thoughts, half have symptoms of depression, and ¼ face aggression at school. Meanwhile, teachers are failing to respond to homophobia and transphobia, and lack the tools and competence to address these issues in lessons. However, there are countries, such as Iceland, that have implemented solutions to support transgender male and female students.
As part of the project, the Grantee has issued several publications: a report entitled "Transgender Children in Iceland. An Overview of Legislation and Good Practices" on the Icelandic experience in establishing a trans-inclusive school, and a report titled "Islands of Support. Good practices in supporting transgender learners in Polish public schools". An important element of the project was the participatory process of developing a publication titled "Guide for an Open School. Transgender..." as well as the formulation of recommendations for school governing bodies. The recommendations concerned the implementation of solutions for a safe, open and trans-inclusive school. The Project Promoter also conducted a webinar on how to use the guide. Finally, a conference was held to promote the publications and recommendations to schools. The project involved the office of the Ombudsman for Children in Iceland, which shared the experience of the Icelandic system, as well as the Warsaw Center for Educational and Social Innovation and Training, which supported the Project Promoter in contacting principals and directors, as well as teaching and psychological staff, and in distributing the publication to public schools in Warsaw.
The project ultimately benefited transgender children and transgender youth, although the groups directly targeted by the project were managers of schools and other educational institutions, teaching staff and psychological and pedagogical staff working in schools and counseling centers. Thanks to the project, the knowledge and skills of the teaching staff in the design and implementation of standards for a trans-inclusive school, the prevention of violence and the prevention of suicide attempts among LGBT+ students have improved. The activities implemented under the project were a step towards a safe and supportive school. The project''s closing conference provided a platform for sharing knowledge, contacts, information, experiences and needs of the project''s various target groups.
Summary of bilateral results
Cooperation with the Icelandic Children''s Ombudsman gave prestige to the project. Despite the different styles of cooperation in the organizations, it was possible to develop the expected results and even additional results - for example, the jointly created publication went to a person who, on behalf of the Reykjavik City Hall, conducts workshops for the Polish minority community, among other topics covered in the publication.