LGBT History Month

LGBT Youth Scotland is pleased to announce a call for applications for this exciting training and development programme, aimed at LGBT and cultural organisations in Europe.

LGBT History Month is an international celebration of LGBT life and culture which takes place every February.  In Scotland, LGBT History Month is coordinated by LGBT Youth Scotland.  Every year we programme a range of arts, culture and education events which aim to provide a space for learning, discussion and debate around the continued fight for LGBT liberation.

In 2011 LGBT Youth Scotland secured funding from the European Commission to promote and disseminate LGBT History Month in Europe through sharing the concept and good practice (Engaging Hearts and Minds, Changing Attitudes project). We were joined by three partner organisations:

Legebitra (Slovenia)

Inakost (Slovakia)

Accept (Romania)

These organisations coordinated History Months in their own countries for the first time in February 2012.

As we enter the second phase of this 2 year project we are looking for new LGBT NGOs to join us in spreading the international reach of LGBT History Month. We are now inviting applications from organisations within the 27 EU member states. These organisations will take part in a week long training programme, with further development actions to be carried out in their own countries in the run up to February 2013.

This is an exciting opportunity for organisations who want to engage with communities – both LGBT and non-LGBT, using culture to spark debate, spread positive messages and break down stereotypes.

• Participate in an international project

• Work with a range of LGBT organisations from across the EU.

• Gain knowledge and experience in a multi-national training environment

• Learn how to engage communities with LGBT culture and issues

• Excellent networking opportunities

LGBT History Month is a fantastic tool for communities, with the potential to being LGBT people and non-LGBT people together. This is your chance to take LGBT History Month to your home country where you can use it to make a real difference.

Any LGBT/cultural NGO from an EU member state not currently involved in the project can apply (This means unfortunately we cannot recruit from the UK, Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania)

We aim to achieve diverse representation:

1. Phase 1 of the project saw good representation for Central and Eastern Europe. Therefore we are particularly keen to hear from LGBT NGOs in Western, Northern and Southern Europe.

2. We seek partners from any area of LGBT work: arts and culture, advocacy & rights, youth, adult, etc.

3. We will consider applicants from non-LGBT organisations if they can demonstrate past commitment to LGBT and equality issues.

4. We hope to accommodate a range of large and small organisations

• Participants must be able to work in English, both verbally and in written communication

• Organisations must have the capacity and resources to carry out some level of LGBT History Month activity during February 2013 – this may mean hosting events, debates, film screenings and other creative activities.  No finances are provided for these activities.

Each successful organisation can send 2 representatives to our 7 day training course in Ljubljana, Slovenia from the 3rd – 9th September 2012

1. Aims of the project

2. Project management skills: running LGBT History Month in your own country

3. How to use arts and culture as community engagement tools

4. Raising awareness through LGBT History Month

5. Developing partnerships to support LGBT History Month

6. How to evaluate LGBT History Month

7. Action planning for 2013

• From November – January each organisation is expected to implement plans for LGBT History Month in their own country
• You will receive mentoring support from one of the project team, this will include regular emails and phone calls
• You will have access to the LGBT History Month European website to post your events and advertise activities
• You will receive a range of LGBT History Month publicity to distribute in your own country.

The culmination of the project (May 2014) will see the creation of an EU LGBT History Month toolkit featuring case studies from each organisation, as well as project management and evaluation tools.

Applications should be made via the online form:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHJualVyLUNvZ2NMQVJGb2NDVDNuMkE6MQ

Please note that the application asks for details of your organisation as well as details of the two representatives you would plan to send to the training programme, therefore you must have discussed this application and have full support from the nominating organisation before you apply.  We will make checks to ensure this is the case.

Travel expenses will be fully reimbursed, however you are expected to pay for your own travel first and claim this back via our expense claim procedure.

Accommodation and catering will be provided for you.  Accommodation will be in shared rooms, we are unable to offer single room occupancy.

Contact lgbt.history.month.eu@gmail.com with any questions or queries about the project or the application.

Deadline for applications: Friday, 29th June, 2012

This project has been made possible with financial support from the EU’s Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme 2010 – 2011, DG Justice.