The Youth Pride Network (YPN) has launched a new project, looking at the experiences of LGBTIQA+ young people in Western Australian high schools.
This report, the latest in their series of ‘State of Play’ reports, will provide an overview of the current experiences in the Western Australian education system and provide recommendations for improvement for schools and government.
Charlotte Glance, Project and Policy Manager, said young people can have a diverse range of experiences while attending high school.
“This project is looking to capture the negative and positive experiences of LGBTIQA+ high school students and particularly, how those experiences impact high school education. We know that some young people are having fantastic experiences at high school, while we also have a high number of young people leaving school early – we want to find out what’s going on.
“After the survey, we’re hoping to run a number of in-person sessions with young people, carers, and staff to help us dive deeper into the data we’re collecting. We particularly want to focus on the voices that might otherwise not be heard in current consultations and in the education system.” Glance said.
“We had a really great response from our previous report and we are currently in conversation with Government and services about the implementation of the recommendations. We’re hoping this report can have a similar impact.”
To inform the research, three online surveys are currently open for individuals to complete:
- LGBTIQA+ young people aged 12-20
- Parents and carers of LGBTIQA+ young people aged 12-20
- Teachers in WA schools
Young people who have left school or are completing school through an alternative pathway are encouraged to complete the survey.
YPN will also be hosting a range of in-person and group interviews throughout May and June.
The surveys can be found online. Participants taking the survey will have the opportunity to enter a raffle to win one of two $50 Dangerfield gift cards. If you’d like to know more or are interested in an in-person interview, contact Charlotte at charlotte@yacwa.org.au.
The group released their last State of Play report on LGBTIQA+ young people’s experiences in the youth homelessness accommodation system in December 2021. The report is available on their website.
YPN are a group of LGBTIQA+ young people passionate about using systemic advocacy to create a Western Australia in which all LGBTIQA+ young people are fully included, accepted and celebrated by their community. They are auspiced by the Youth Affairs Council of WA and funded by the Department of Communities.
OIP Staff
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