Lottery grant to help improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people
The University of Greenwich, the Metro Centre and Ergo Consulting have jointly won funding for research into the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people.
An award of £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund Research Programme will be used to fund a national survey across England of 15,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people aged 16 to 24.
The young people will be asked questions about health, housing, education, employment, sexuality and discrimination.
The project is called National Youth Chances (NYC) and will start on Thursday, July 1.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people will be asked for their views in the form of two specifically-designed surveys of their life experiences, as well as in a number of focus groups. The results will be shared widely with decision-makers and organisations which provide services to young people in England including local authorities, health services and the voluntary and charitable sector.
The research will be carried out by the University of Greenwich; Ergo Consulting, which provides strategic consultancy on major projects; and the Metro Centre, an organisation that continues to lead the way on LGBT issues in the UK.
The project will be carried out over five years so change can be measured over a period of time.
Professor Liz West, Director of Research in the School of Health & Social Care at the University of Greenwich, says: “I am pleased that our bid for funding for this worthwhile project was approved. Thanks to the Big Lottery Fund Research Programme’s generosity, we will be able to capture information that will help us improve the lives and well-being of thousands of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender young people across the country.”
Greg Ussher, Director, Outreach and Community Development, Metro Centre, says: “Actual data relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people and their experiences is scarce. Because of a lack of information on this group, issues such as youth employment, education, health and welfare as they relate to LGBT young people are neglected and sometimes even denied. They are thought to have limited access to services which can result in poorer educational and health outcomes.”
Peter Scott of Ergo Consulting, says: “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people and those questioning their sexuality experience significantly more difficulties on their way to adulthood than heterosexuals of a similar age."
Chris Markham from Ergo Consulting continues: “We know they are more likely to have mental health, drug and alcohol problems and more likely to self-harm and attempt suicide. This long-term research, the first of its kind in the UK, will help us understand the services most needed for young people on their journey to adulthood.”
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Lee Armitt
Press Officer
University of Greenwich
020 8331 9420
Notes to editors
Picture - Chris Markham of Ergo Consulting, Greg Ussher, Director, Outreach and Community Development, Metro Centre, Professor Liz West, Director of Research in the School of Health & Social Care at the University of Greenwich and Peter Scott of Ergo Consulting.
The aim of the Big Lottery Fund Research Programme is to fund projects associated with social, medical and socio-medical research. Grants were available to charities and voluntary organisations. Voluntary and community organisations were awarded grants to help influence national policy and practice and in the long term develop better services.