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Just Like Us launches School Diversity Week 2022

by Just Like Us
April 2022

Free LGBT+ school resources available as part of School Diversity Week

More than 50 free, LGBT+ inclusive resources including lesson plans and assemblies have been launched by Just Like Us so primary and secondary schools can easily celebrate LGBT+ inclusion this School Diversity Week, 20-24 June.

Half (48%) of secondary schools still provide little to zero positive messaging about what it means to be LGBT+, an independent 2021 survey found. LGBT+ school pupils are also twice as likely to be bullied and experience depression.

Positive messaging about being LGBT+ is linked to school pupils having better mental health and wellbeing, including being less likely to experience depression, regardless of whether the pupils are LGBT+ or not, the research found.

School Diversity Week, the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in thousands of primary and secondary schools, is run by Just Like Us and takes place 20-24 June this year.

Thousands of UK primary and secondary schools are signed up to take part in celebrating School Diversity Week, with activities ranging from LGBT+ inclusive geography and science lessons, storytime activities and assemblies to school talks from Just Like Us and a Rainbow Friday dress-up day.

Resources provided by Just Like Us are entirely free for teachers to use and cover EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 as well as all key subject areas – including posters, lesson plans, assemblies, form time activities and video resources.

New this year is a storytime video series for primary schools, featuring Jodie Lancet-Grant, Benjamin Dean and Elmer.

Dominic Arnall, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, says: “We are delighted to launch our online resources platform so that all teachers across the UK can now sign up to access free, ready-to-go lesson plans, assemblies, form time activities and more.

“LGBT+ young people desperately need to hear positive messaging to combat shame, and this event is designed to do just that in a way that makes it as easy as possible for teachers.

“We’re also incredibly grateful to our headline sponsor Meta for their continued support with enabling School Diversity Week to reach so many schools, and to JP Morgan for their ongoing sponsorship – both key in helping more LGBT+ young people to know it’s OK to be themselves.”

The event, which brings together school communities to celebrate diversity and different types of families, is kindly supported by long-standing partners JP Morgan and Meta, the headline sponsor of School Diversity Week.

“JPMorgan Chase is proud to partner with Just Like Us and remains committed to creating a safer, more inclusive world for LGBT+ people of all ages. Young people deserve to be celebrated for who they are and School Diversity Week is an important opportunity to ensure LGBT+ youth across the UK, and everywhere around the world, feel safe, seen and heard,” says Brad Baumoel, global head of LGBT+ Affairs at JP Morgan.

“Meta is delighted to continue the partnership with Just Like Us and sponsor School Diversity Week. School Diversity Week is an amazing week packed full of information and resources for the young LGBT+ community and teachers to help navigate the challenges in today’s complicated world. Meta has had the privilege to work with the Just Like Us team first hand and see the positive impact School Diversity Week has had on thousands of young LGBT+ pupils,” says Nicky Friensener at Meta.

How to access the free, LGBT+ inclusive school resources:

If you are a member of school staff at a primary school, secondary school or sixth form college, here’s how to access the free resources.

  1. Sign up for School Diversity Week by creating an account and ticking ‘School Diversity Week’
  2. You’ll then receive an email saying you’ve been signed up and granted access to the resources
  3. Browse and download resources in our portal

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