Empowering Educators and Families for LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Support

<< Background >>We applied for this project because LGBTIQ+ students in Europe, and especially in Lithuania and Bulgaria, still face widespread discrimination in schools. EU data show that over 80% of adults recall hearing negative comments about LGBT classmates, and two thirds reported hiding their identity. Lithuania (31%) and Bulgaria (24%) record some of the highest levels of discrimination by school staff in the EU, above the EU average of 18%. In Lithuania, 81% of students reported concealing their identity, and 93% of the population believes discrimination based on sexual orientation is widespread. Teachers and parents in both countries lack the skills and resources to address these issues, as shown by the “Life Skills” programme in Lithuania, where educators report insufficient capacity to cover LGBTIQ+ topics. In contrast, Iceland ranks among the most progressive countries, with a national LGBTI Action Programme. Bringing together two countries with severe gaps and one with advanced practices created an opportunity to combine needs-based interventions with innovation. The project therefore addressed the urgent need to equip teachers and parents with tools to reduce discrimination and foster inclusive school environments.<< Objectives >>The overall aim of the ELIS project was to foster inclusive school environments where children with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities feel safe, respected, and able to thrive. We set six specific objectives. First, to develop educational resources and guidelines for teachers to strengthen their awareness of LGBTIQ+ issues and capacity to act in schools. Second, to create support materials for parents, encouraging positive parenting and acceptance. Third, to pilot a training programme for teachers and parents using the developed resources. Fourth, to disseminate the created products widely in the partner countries, ensuring access to practical tools. Fifth, to facilitate exchange of good practices between partners and stakeholders. Finally, to build the capacity of partner organisations by improving the knowledge and skills of their staff. Together, these objectives addressed urgent needs in Lithuania and Bulgaria, while drawing on Iceland’s advanced practices to generate innovative and sustainable results. << Implementation >>The project was implemented through five interconnected work packages. First, project management and coordination ensured smooth delivery through regular online meetings, two transnational project meetings (kick-off in Lithuania and mid-term in Iceland), financial monitoring, risk management and quality assurance measures. Second, under the leadership of EDF, we developed guidelines for teachers on how to address the needs of LGBTIQ+ students in schools. Third, led by EDUPRO, we created additional educational resources for teachers and parents, including handouts, a handbook, glossary, Q&A and two videos. Fourth, Modurmal piloted the resources in a real school environment, collected feedback from teachers, students and parents, and contributed to their improvement. Finally, we carried out communication and dissemination activities throughout the entire project in all partner countries, including events and online publications, to share the results and promote their use among the target audiences.<< Results >>The project produced a set of concrete and tangible outputs. First, we developed the “Guidelines for Teachers on Supporting LGBTIQ+ Students” as an open educational resource. Second, we created a package of educational resources for teachers, including two handouts and two videos designed for classroom use. Third, we produced resources for parents, including a handbook, glossary, Q&A and two short videos to promote supportive parenting practices. Fourth, we organised three pilot sessions with at least 20 participants to test the materials in real educational settings and collect feedback for improvement. Fifth, we held three public events, one in each partner country, to present the project results to professional communities and stakeholders. In addition, two transnational project meetings were carried out to ensure quality coordination and exchange between partners. Communication and dissemination activities throughout the project ensured that results reached teachers, parents and other interested stakeholders, raising awareness and encouraging use of the developed tools.