PHA funds new sexual orientation awareness training

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is helping to raise awareness and understanding of the issues affecting lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people by funding a series of training workshops for healthcare professionals across the Northern region.

The training will also include appropriate information on assistance and support, which can be offered to improve the health and wellbeing of local LGB people.

Estimates suggest that lesbian, gay and bisexual people constitute 5–7% of the total adult population1.  We also know that these groups experience considerable sexual, physical and mental health inequalities and that homophobia and hetrosexism are the main barriers LBG people face when accessing services 2.

Madeline Heaney, PHA Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement (North), said: “The PHA was set up to promote and enhance the factors that influence good health and wellbeing and to reduce the avoidable and unjust differences in health experienced by the best and the worst-off in our society. We do this by working in partnership with the community, voluntary and statutory sectors to tackle health inequalities.

“This training is for health professionals working in local communities and the statutory sector. It will increase understanding of the issues affecting people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual and help those working with LGB people to offer appropriate support and assistance. We know that the health outcomes for LGB people are poorer than for the general public, so this training will help to address the specific needs of LGB people and so improve their health and wellbeing.”

The training will include:

• understanding same-sex attraction and use of appropriate terminology;
• key health inequalities experienced by people who are same-sex attracted;
• forms of homophobia and heterosexism;
• barriers to accessing mainstream statutory, community or voluntary service provision;
• mental and sexual health issues for people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual;
• legislative and social policy context;
• tips for improving practice.

Community, voluntary and statutory health service providers and policy makers are invited to the new ‘Sexual orientation awareness training’, funded by the PHA and delivered in partnership with the Rainbow Project and Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative (LASI):

• 25 January – Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey. (Full)
• 27 January – The Cliff, 17a Seacliff Road, Larne, BT40 1TG. (Spaces available)
• 7 February – The Causeway Enterprise Agency, Loughanhill Industrial Estate, Coleraine, BT52 2NR. (Full)
• 22 February – The Parish Centre, Chapel Road, Cushendall, BT44 0RS. (Spaces available)
• 6 March – Gortalowry House, 94 Church Street, COOKSTOWN, BT80 8HX. (Spaces available)
• 14 March – Riverpark House, 29/31 Parkview, Castledawson, BT45 8AT. (Spaces available)

For further information on these training events, and to book your place, contact Malachai O’Hara on 028 9031 9030 or via e-mail malachai@rainbow-project.org