Every year since its launch in 2004, LGBT+ History Month raises vital funds for its work to make schools safe and inclusive for everyone through the sale of its iconic annual badge. Each year the design is distinctive, linking to the year’s National Curriculum theme. Until now the design has been created by university design students. For 2022 we want to open up the opportunity and give more young people the chance to be the winning designer of the 2022 badge.
Professor Sue Sanders, Chair of Schools Out and co- founder of LGBT+ History Month says:
“Our young LGBT+ people experience disproportionately poor mental health, well-being and homelessness due to factors such as anti-LGBT+ bullying, lack of visibility within educational settings and lack of support at home. In a year where Covid-19 has caused further disruption and negative impacts for LGBT+ young people, Schools Out UK is proud to provide this unique opportunity as part of our work to ensure young LGBT+ peoples’ needs are championed, visible and heard”.
We are pleased to be able to open up the design process to schools and youth groups as well as university students across the country and provide this landmark opportunity. This is a perfect opening to discussions about LGBT+ people in all their diversity, especially now that same-sex relationships have been added to the National Curriculum.
The competition is in two stages:
- Email us for the short ‘expression of interest’ form’ and return it to us by 19th October 2021, telling us who you are and a little about what you are doing to support LGBT+ inclusion and celebration in your organisation.
- We will then send you the competition rules, with the final date for design entries being 13th March 2021.
The contact email for both stages of the competition and any queries is promotions@schools-out.org.uk, where our Promotions Officer (Andrew) will be happy to help. We have limited the number of organisations we can accommodate to 30, as we are a small charity, so please act fast. (Please also note though, that entries are per Key Stage, so your organisation may be able to submit more than one entry).
The winning entry will be made into the official 2022 LGBT+ History Month badge, which will be worn by thousands of people throughout February and beyond! The winner will also have their badge presented to them at the official Launch of LGBT+ History Month 2022 in October/November 2021, where they can meet the committee. Schools OUT UK, the charity that created History Month, is one of the oldest LGBT+ advocacy charities in the UK.
