Rother and Hastings LGBT Project

With the passing of the Equalities Act (2010) service providers have public service duties to LGBT communities and constituents.  This is having the dual effect of empowering LGBT activists who can now make demands of services without needing to ‘prove’ that there are LGBT people in the area that they have needs and the Act has prompted a desire from services to understand their responsibilities and meet the requirements of the new legislation.

Following two recent events that brought together LGBT activists and service providers, where some local examples of good practice were identified, this funding will begin a project based alliance that will work within a community of practice to progress equalities for LGBT people in Hastings.  A community of practice brings together a group of people who share a common interest, and through information and experience, learn from each other.  These recent events have already prompted an agreed amendment to the Hastings Borough Council’s policy that now ensures ‘equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Community, Hastings Borough Council will include objectives to accept LGBT issues within the Single Equalities Scheme and Action Plan’.

The Project

This project aims to improve the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &Transgender (LGBT) people in Hastings, Rother and East Sussex by creating strategic networks between academic institutions, students, local communities and services.

Similar to the Go Hastings report (Fairley and Nouidjem, 2004), it can be seen that LGBT equalities in Hastings, Rother and East Sussex is complex.  Thus, this project will offer a timely intervention into the local context of Hastings, Rother and East Sussex as a whole, where traditionally interaction between LGBT communities and local services and providers has not necessarily resulted in positive action for change or response to identified needs.  It will benefit the community partners by extending their engagement with services, public bodies etc., and it will improve academic work in the area of LGBT lives, within and beyond the metropolis.

Ongoing work will seek the active participation in the activities of local organisations working with, or on behalf of, LGB&T residents, to include younger and older people, more rural residents, and people with varying abilities, BME and other minority residents.

This project aims to begin affecting the awareness and decision-making of local elected representatives, suppliers of services and employers.

Project Partners

School of Environment & Technology

University Centre Hastings

Rainbow Alliance

Hastings & Rother LGBT Wellbeing Group