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Open Doors: Diversity Matters
Start date: Jan 1, 2015, End date: Aug 31, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

'Open Doors: Diversity Matters is an effective project that concerns LGBT minority groups and is a project by Rooted and five partner organisations from Estonia, UK, Spain, Lithuania, and Turkey. The Main Activity of the project is a 7-day seminar to be held from 12th -18th July 2015 in Qawra, mostly at the church youth centre quarters but there will also be other venues for particular activities of the project. This project will mainly take the form of a conference-based seminar in which expert guest speakers working within the LGBT field will be invited to deliver a conference on a chosen LGBT theme. The themes chosen will focus on LGBT awareness, the importance of reaching out to LGBT young people and strengthening unity and cohesion with other peers regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. It is hoped that through these themes youth workers are better exposed to the realities of LGBT young people and hence better equipped to potentially reaching out to LGBT young people in youth clubs and other social settings. The aim of this approach is to meet young people where they are and help them protect themselves from alcohol, drugs, sexual abuse and other risks. This approach is relevant to LGBT youth who are the same as all young people when it comes to many of the risks related to early and secretive sexual activity. Here, however, problems are compounded by the absence of social support, adult role models, and relevant sex education within a non-heterosexual environment. All partners will work together towards attaining a good base of knowledge and understanding of the unique and complex needs of LGBT youth and translate best practices into tools for youth workers to use and serve LGBT youth experiencing problems and ultimately improve the lives of these very important young people. Through this project youth workers will gain more knowledge in how to play an important role in every community, where they will be capable to provide this minority group support, advice about their current lives and future pathways and the chance to develop skills and make new friends. They will also help give rise to LGBT- friendly youth groups, which do not isolate, but rather integrate these youth with the others because after all, LGBT is nothing to be afraid of; it is just another expression of human sexuality. We have to bear in mind that youth workers are a vital resource for young LGBT people, giving them access to information and support in a correct and healthy manner, that they may not be able to get anywhere else and without being abused. The main objective of the project will provide a space for the participants to share their expertise and experience at a European level and present tools and approaches to deal with youngsters who are being excluded for one thing or another. In addition, the project aims at providing a platform for discussion between the participants, based on theoretical and practical inputs around the theme which is relevant to the work with at-risk groups. The good practices and new methods that will prove effective will be integrated into the youth workers activities. The tools and approaches shared would be adopted by participants and disseminated through best practices applied with their young people; through adaptability and applicability of working methods used; effective learning outcomes; contact details of partner organisations and project blog links.
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