Funding has been secured for a new Coordinator role within local charity Liberate.
A grant of £21,250 has been awarded to the charity through the Guernsey Community Foundation’s Strategic Grants programme. The grant will fund the position for one year.
Until now, all of the charity’s work has been completed by volunteers, but Liberate is now ready to step up a gear and the new paid role will enable the charity to reach its objectives sooner.
The charity promotes fairness and equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community and their friends and family within the Bailiwick. Since its inception in 2014, they have campaigned tirelessly for change and have witnessed and helped to achieve a number of key changes including the States of Guernsey voting to introduce same-sex marriage in December 2015; an update in Income Tax laws so that LGBTQ people are treated equally; and working with local organisations towards installing pathways to UK support and healthcare providers for gender reassignment treatment.
As well as continuing to publicise and promote their cause, the charity has clear objectives to achieve over the coming years. Having a dedicated Coordinator will enable Liberate to roll out some key projects which will have a positive impact across the community including: developing LGBTQ outreach and education programmes for Guernsey schools to tackle homophobia and train teachers how to tackle bullying; developing support systems for LGBTQ people within the Island from youth to adulthood; developing strategies to help with the specific needs of the older LGBTQ population and their care; setting up LGBTQ liaison officers within the police and prison services; continuing to coordinate with HSSD to ensure an effective and comprehensive care pathway for transgender people; and continuing to put pressure on the States to reform laws and policies that discriminate against LGBTQ people.
Pippa McCathie, Chair of Liberate said “We’d like to thank the Foundation for their rigorous process which helped us focus on the way we could deliver this valuable service. Ellie Jones will be taking on the role from the beginning of May. As Vice Chair of Liberate she’s been working hard to set up many of the projects we wish to pursue and the Foundation have told us they feel it is a huge advantage that she can step in immediately. This will enable us to complete the equivalent of 5 to 7 years of voluntary activity in 12 months. Although she will be working part time, we’re confident we’ll be able to set up the majority of our projects within the year, but we will need to call on our volunteers to progress the work during her tenure but particularly afterwards”.
An integral part of Liberate’s mission is to ensure that all LGBTQ people feel included in our Island community, and that they have a 'place'.
The Guernsey Community Foundation’s Strategic Grants Programme is open year-round for applications from charities registered in the Bailiwick. For further details please see the grants page or call Sadie Siviter de Paucar on 748056.
