LGBT youth on course for leadership training

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

Young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people have been given the chance to participate in a free London project which aims to turn them into future leaders for the youth and voluntary community.

The Consortium of LGBT Voluntary and Community Organisations is holding the Step-up programme, a three day residential event in London from the 22nd to 24th October.

It will teach the skills they say are needed for people to lead organisations at the highest level.

These include understanding the business end of leading an organisation, developing policy, increasing confidence and knowledge, and making contacts with the LGBT community.

The consortium is encouraging young people to enter, not only to add to their CVs but also to create new leaders who they hope will run the organisations they are trying to support.

No experience is necessary, but applicants must be 25 years old or younger, work, study or play in London, be defined as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and above all enthusiastic.

The consortium is a National Lottery funded charity that works across the entire United Kingdom and supports other LGBT groups, organisations and charities from a development standpoint.

It aims to provide funding and support for their numerous members as well as give them a voice to be heard with the National Strategic Partner Forum, an organisation that works with the Department of Health to help voluntary, community and public sectors work together.

James Walsh, who is in charge of the event, told PinkNews.co.uk:

“We hope that young people will go off to be governors, trustees for charities, a whole range of things including advisory board members.

“The whole point of it is that with the whole new equality legislation and the rights of young people, we want to bring the two together so that young LGBT people can have their voices heard at the decision making table.”

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