At the end of last year, the Rainbow Fund provided grant funding to support the pilot of a ground breaking trans youth network run by Allsorts. Since setting up the project, Allsorts have already attracted funding from Comic Relief and Children in Need to extend the pilot and meet the growing demand for the service.
Allsorts supports and empowers young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure (LGBTU) of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
The Rainbow Fund supported the Transformers project through grant funding last year, it has also twice funded FTM Brighton, including in its spring 2013 grants round.
FTM Brighton is a group for transgender men, gender queer people and those questioning their gender identity. It provides a social space, support, sexual health advice and co- ordinates local campaigns relevant to FTM trans people.
Welcoming the grant to Allsorts, Jess Wood MBE, Director of Allsorts, said:
“Our trans youth group, Transformers is still in its early days but already the demands on its services are huge. The Rainbow Fund’s grant will help fund trans youth worker hours. We feel huge thanks to the Fund and also to all those wonderful people in Brighton and Hove who have given so generously.
‘Trans children and young people are often bullied and isolated in school, college and at work. As a result, trans children and young people can face a tough journey to express their deeper identity. There is little understanding of what trans children and young people need and this project will not only help the children and young people involved and their families but also help to raise awareness throughout the city especially in our schools.’
Paul Elgood, Rainbow Fund Chairman, said:
“Transformers is a pioneering project which meets an emerging need in the city. We are excited to be supporting these young people as they come to terms with who they are and what they want from life. They need a safe and supportive environment and I hope our funding will help provide that.
‘Transformers is exactly the kind of innovative and ground breaking project that we like to fund. We are delighted to be working with Allsorts and to extend the reach of our grants both to young people and the trans youth network.
”We are very pleased to help fund both Transformers and FTM, however, we have extremely limited funds and cannot fund all of the worthy projects which we receive applications from, even if we want to. No group has the right to Rainbow Fund money but need to demonstrate that their projects deliver frontline services for our communites.”
The Rainbow Fund provides small grant funding to the local LGBT voluntary sector. It does not fundraise directly but benefits from a number of high profile events and activities including Pride. There are no salaries, expenses or office hire costs associated with the Fund, except in terms of the professional advice it receives in terms of administrating the Fund by the Sussex Community Foundation. All panel members are volunteers with extensive experience of LGBT issues and give their time freely.
Transformers is a group for trans young people or those questioning their gender identity and aged 16-25.
Transformers meets on the last Wednesday of each month, from 5pm to 7pm, in a central Brighton location.
The group offers:
• an opportunity to make friends with other trans young people
• support and information about transitioning, your rights, coming out and more
• fun activities and workshops e.g. art activities, drama games, film nights etc
• discussions about what matters to you as trans young people
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