Proud Spaces
PROUD SPACES is a three year project funded by Erasmus+ and supported by lead agency Leargas. The project will identify and document effective practices in youth work settings that create safe spaces for young LGBT+ people. The project will establish an evidence-based model of best practice and develop tools and policy resources to support those those working with young LGBT+ people.
The four stages of the development process of Proud Spaces are:
- An extensive evidence and literature review.
- The development of a practice framework.
- A policy initiative to increase the awareness of policy makers of the outcomes of effective LGBTQI+ youth work.
- The development of a tool to allow young people to describe what a proud space is to them.
Project Partners
The project partner European Confederation of Youth Clubs from Belgium has a strong background in European policy development and will lead on the creation of a policy framework based on project learning . Workshops and dates for these activities will be set in Q3 of 2023. Dates and booking details will appear on this page. To learn more about the planned activities and to express your interest, please contact mseebach@youthworkireland.ie
Project partner GrowSpace (Poland) is developing a pack to support the creation of Proud Spaces with young people through non-formal education. This programme of work will commence in late 2023. To express your interest in this project output and to be involved please contact mseebach@youthworkireland.ie
Youth Work Ireland Laois is a youth service located in Ireland which support young LGBTQ+ people through dedicated and safe spaces. Youth Work Ireland Laois have produced the first Intellectual Output of the Proud Spaces Project which is a research report which evidences the practices youth workers and young people say achieve safe and inclusive spaces – you can read the report below.
Project Activities, Results and Outputs
Policy Brief: Youth work advancing equity for young LGBTQI+ people
The policy initative aims to advocate for inclusive policies and practices within youth work settings, while also emphasising the importance of recognising and acknowledging the role of youth work in fostering safe, welcoming and enabling spaces for LGBTQI+ youth. Based on the evidence surfaced throughout the Proud Spaces project, this initiative seeks to prompt policy makers and stakeholders, including youth work practitioners to prioritize the development and implementation of enabling supportive and effective policies in the EU.
Proud Spaces Policy Recommendations
Proud Space Tool for Young LGBTI+ People to Gauge their Proud Space
Many jurisdictions in Europe have progressed policies and services intended to result in the inclusion of young people. However, progress has not been uniform and the project takes place within ongoing concern for policies and legislation which limit the inclusion of young LGBTI+ people within certain jurisdictions in the European Union. Partners Growspace developed a tool in Poland which allows young LGBTI+ people to assess and rate their own proud space.
Moving LGBTQI+ Youth Work Towards Promising Practices.
The second product from the Proud Spaces project was launched on Thursday September 28th in Dublin. The resource Moving LGBTQI Youth Work Towards Promising Practices was developed based on findings from the evidence review and with the expertise, input and guidance of youth workers, young LGBTQI+ people and field experts. It contains a model of practice for LGBTQI+ youth work, a theory of change and competence framework to guide practices with young LGBTQI+ people.
Proud Spaces Workshop
In May 2023 we delivered two workshop on the outcomes and findings of the Proud Spaces project, thus far, to youth workers at an all-island LGBTI+ conference organised by the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Education Authority Northern Ireland. The conference entitled ‘Youth Work with LGBTQ+ Young People: Purpose, Principles’ aimed to demonstrate and increase understanding of the value and contribution of a youth work methodology to meeting the developmental and wellbeing needs of LGBTQI+ young people across the island of Ireland.
The conference was attended by over 70 youth workers and provided a space for them to come together, share practice, exchange knowledge and develop new perspectives in relation to the inclusion of LGBTQI+ young people in youth work. It also sought to strengthen and enhance relationships in the youth work sector.
Proud Spaces Multiplier Event Laois
On March 30th Youth Work Ireland Laois released the first set of findings from the Proud Spaces project. The findings emerged from an extensive evidence review of youth work practices, processes and activities that youth workers and young people say achieve positive outcomes. The findings clearly articulate a model of inclusive practice that is evidenced to create inclusive, safe and proud spaces for young LGBTQI+ people. It also sets this practice within a European policy and practice framework.
The evidence from the research, surveys, and young peoples’ workshops will inform the next phase of the project which will be the development of an evidence informed practice framework to support youth work practices with young LGBTQI+ people.
Creating Proud Spaces
Young People’s Proud Spaces – Youth Work Training
As part of the Proud Spaces project Youth Work Ireland Laois held an online consultation session with youth workers in February 2023 who wanted to contribute to research to support young LGBTQI+ people and youth work practices. Taking onboard the feedback from a nationwide survey circulated in late 2022 Youth Work Ireland Laois designed the one hour consultation and training session to support youth workers to deliver an interactive workshop with their LGBTQI+ groups so as to enable young people to share what their ‘proud spaces‘ are and highlight how youth work practices impact on their lives.
Youth Workers Survey
The Proud Spaces research project will establish and support an LGBTQ+ model of practice for Youth Work Ireland Member Youth Services. By surveying youth workers on their experiences and expertise we will develop important tools for growing and developing our inclusive youth work.
This survey was carried out in late 2022 and early 2023 and all findings fed directly into the research publication – Proud Spaces: Evidencing Safe and Inclusive Practices for LGBTQI+ Young People Through Quality Youth Work Practices.
Young People’s Proud Spaces – Youth Worker Training Workshop
As part of the Proud Spaces project Youth Work Ireland Laois we held an online consultation session with youth workers in February 2023 who wanted to contribute to research to support young LGBT+ people and youth work practices. Taking onboard the feedback from a nationwide survey circulated in late 2022, Youth Work Ireland Laois designed the one hour consultation and training session to support youth workers to deliver an interactive workshop with their LGBT+ groups so as to enable young people to share what their ‘proud spaces‘ are and highlight how youth work practices impact on their lives.
