Marino College and Kingswood Community College awarded as safe spaces for Dublin LGBTQ+ students

In 2020, both Marino College and Kingswood Community College signed up to participate in a new national LGBTQ+ Safe & Supportive Schools project run by Belong To, LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland.

They now join 11 other schools nationwide in being accredited by Belong To as a Safe & Supportive school for LGBTQ+ students.

The schools received an award from The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland at an event in the Mansion House, Dublin, last week.

The Safe & Supportive Schools Project, designed and facilitated by Belong To, is a ground-breaking whole-school approach to creating a school environment that is fully inclusive of LGBTQ+ students.

Spanning policy, curriculum, staff culture, school environment, student supports, and engagement with the local community, the Safe & Supportive Schools Project goes beyond awareness and ensures sustainable, systematic change for LGBTQ+ youth.

Belong To’s School Climate Survey (2019) indicates that a staggering 73% of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school, with 1 in 3 reporting that other students are unaccepting of LGBTQ+ identities.

Positively, the research also found that LGBTQ+ students who witnessed staff intervene when homophobic remarks were made were 15% more likely to feel that they belong in their school, and 8% less likely to miss school days due to feeling unsafe.

Awarding the successful schools, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland said:

“I am delighted to celebrate with you who have at school level created truly safe and supportive spaces for all students.

“The SASS model was designed to support schools across core action areas to become more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students.

“It is fantastic to celebrate with the first 13 schools to have achieved the core standards within each of these areas.

“These schools have set an inspiring example not just to your own students and school communities but to our education sector as a whole.

“There is still so much work to be done in eradicating homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in society including so much education and awareness raising with the school system.

“By creating a space in Your schools where young people can feel truly safe and supported, you have been part of something very special.”

Upon receiving the SASS accreditation award Mary McAteer, Principal, Marino College stated:

“We at Marino College secondary school are absolutely delighted to be accredited a safe and supportive school.

“This esteemed achievement is a direct result of the efforts of our students & staff and the warm climate they’ve established and maintained in our school by being respectful and kind to all.

“While this award is not an indicator of the completion of our aims, it is a significant acknowledgement of the journey of acceptance and inclusion that our school is on.

“We are extremely proud that our LGBTI+ students, prospective students and their families can rest assured that they are welcome, they are safe, and they belong at Marino College.”

SASS Coordinator, Emma O’Beirne, Kingswood Community College (pictured above) said:

“Our journey on the safe and supportive schools programme comes from Kingswood Community Colleges deep seated belief that equality is the cornerstone of our school.

“Our mission statement is built around the tenets of respect, inclusion and care.

“As a growing school we work hard to build a culture and community that provides an inclusive experience for all our learners.

“We hope that out school is a safe and supportive space for all our students and that we can grow and change to support in a prideful way for all.”

Speaking at the event, Moninne Griffith, CEO, Belong To stated:

“We are proud to accredit Marino College and Kingswood Community College as LGBTQ+ Safe and Supportive Schools, alongside 11 other schools nationwide. LGBTQ+ youth need to not only feel equal and safe, they also need the conditions to allow them to thrive personally, socially, and academically.

“Today, we celebrate all that the school community has done to develop a culture of LGBTQ+ inclusion, from the classroom to the staffroom, to beyond the school gates.”

The 13 schools receiving accreditation from Belong To as LGBTQ+ Safe and Supportive Schools includes Borrisokane Community College; Coláiste Chill Mhantáin; Coláiste Íde agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale; Coláiste Iósaef, Kilmallock; Kingswood Community College; Marino College; Merlin College; Naas Community College; O’Carolan College; Piper’s Hill College; Roscommon Community College; Scariff Community College; and St. Peter’s College.