It’s Transgender Day of Visibility and two local third-level facilities are to the fore in marking it.
A consortium of five higher education institutions has received money from the HEA’s Gender Equality Enhancement Fund to roll out a gender identity and diversity training programme for staff.
IT Carlow’s taken a lead on the project, joined by Carlow College St Patrick’s as well as Waterford Institute of Technology, Limerick Institute of Technology and Mary Immaculate College.
The majority of these are in the process of, or have already have developed, gender identity and expression policies and procedures. The awarded programme is seen as contributing to ongoing progress in this area through dispelling gender stereotypes, enhancing and deepening awareness and capacity.
The funding will be used to develop two distinct programmes: one for academic and professional management and support staff one for senior executive teams. Once piloted, it will be rolled out amongst the five partner institutions leading to the development and launch of a permanent resource that will be available for all staff.
It’s being delivered by ShoutOut, a charity that provides educational programmes in educational institutions in areas such as sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and intersex identity.
Today’s announcement coincides with Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) which was established to show support of trans identities and reject transphobia and IT Carlow is marking its solidarity and support by raising the flag associated with this day at the Haughton Building and by supporting a social media campaign that rejects transphobia.
Colette Lane, Director of EDI and People, Institute of Technology says “We are delighted to have the opportunity to be able to develop and implement this training and very much appreciate the funding provided to enable us to achieve this”.
