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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Members Group If you're out, you're better off in UNISON.

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UNISON South West Region LGBT Group

South West Region Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.If you're an LGBT member of UNISON you will be welcome at any of the Devon County Branch LGBT meetings or activities.

But it's important also to belong to UNISON's Regional LGBT Group, especially if you need to organise for equality issues with your own employer or if you're not out and there's no active LGBT Group in your Branch.

The Regional Group has lesbian, bisexual, transgender and gay members active on it's Committee. There is a confidential membership list. Once you're on it you get:

For all the above your Branch will pay. If you're not out, then payment is arranged by the Regional LGBT Group Facilitator who does not tell the Branch who it's for.

You can get onto the Regional Mailing list by contacting one of the LGBT Co-convenors.

If you're not a member of UNISON and would like to join go back up the page and visit the link in the left panel, or ring 0845 355 0845 for UNISONDirect.

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UNISON National LGBT Members Group

The website has opportunities to sign up to get the National LGBT newsletter Out in UNISON and to register with the electronic monthly news mail-out.

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Devon County Council LGBT Staff Group

Devon County Council's entry in the Stonewall Recruitment Guide.
The Stonewall Recruitment Guide.

(Devon County Council's entry in the Stonewall Recruitment Guide)

The Council's Staff Group has an email address and a mobile phone number, but, for confidentiality reasons they are not publicised beyond the Council's internal website or its publications.

Any County Council employee who is interested in contacting the DCC Staff Group is welcome to do so through us. You needn't be a UNISON member - our Members enjoy the social events that the DCCLGBT group organise and we're happy in return to act as a point of contact for the County's teachers and other non-UNISON staff who wish to join the LGBT Staff Group. See our main LGBT page.

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Equality South West LGB Forum

Equality South West aims to be a source of expertise on equalities issues across the region. It brings together members of the equality 'strands' so their opinions can feed into a range of organisations in the region such as local authorities, health authorities, major employers and regional bodies such as the Regional Development Agency and Government Office South West.

Equality South West also offers advice and training on equalities issues.

Amongst other equality 'strands' is its LGB work.

Contact:

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South West Forum - equality in the voluntary and community sector

The South West Forum gives voluntary and community organisations a strong and effective champion. They work closely with regional bodies, for example: Regional Assembly, South West Regional Development Agency and Government Office South West, to raise understanding of the importance of the voluntary and community sector to the social and economic life of the region.

The Forum has a particular interest in tackling disadvantage and promoting social inclusion and sustainability. This includes a commitment to LGBT inclusion.

The voluntary and community sector is increasingly taking up the public services which once were the remit of local authorities. When lesbians and gay men still have no rights to goods and services the Forum's influence in this regard is important.

Contact:

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Press for Change - campaigning for transgender rights (PfC)

Press for Change campaigns for respect and equal civil rights and liberties for all transgender people, through legislation and social change. They are the largest representative organisation for transgender people in the UK.

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The Gender Trust.The Gender Trust

The only Registered Charity in the UK which specifically helps adults who are Transsexual, Gender Dysphoric or Trangender i.e. those who seek to adjust their lives to live as women or men, or to come to terms with their situation despite their genetic background.

The Gender Trust provides confidential care within the guidelines of the British Association of Counsellors. The GT Information Line is answered by Trust staff and volunteers who have access to a wide range of information and can offer a listening ear to those who need to talk in confidence.

Contact:

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X-Plore - youth group - up to age 25

X-Plore - youth group. This Exeter-based charity has been going for a number of years and has been successful in attracting funding to help LGBT young people connect with each other and have an organisation to turn to.

Run by a group of LGBT Trustees it is an excellent first port of call for anyone between 16 - 25 who wants advice or to meet up socially or to campaign with other young LGBT people.

Contact:

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Schools Out - special focus on anti-LGBT bullying Schools Out - special focus on anti-LGBT bullying.

Schools Out has made great use of LGBT History Month, February, which was organised nationally for the first time in 2004. In 2006 there will be a national conference (4 Feb 05) and many local events will be encouraged.

If you are planning an event you can -

Contact:

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Educational Action Challenging Homophobia - EACH

Educational Action Challenging Homophobia. EACH is supported by (amongst others) the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary and by Comic Relief. Although most of its work is focussed in the west country, schools in Devon have been included in their outreach.

Schools Out is much more of a National organisation, so EACH is important to us as a more local resource to turn to for campaigning support.

Contact:

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Broken Rainbow Cornwall (operates in Devon too)

Broken Rainbow Cornwall. The statistics about same-sex domestic abuse are hard to come by, but those who have done research have uncovered horrific frequencies of occurrence.

The shock of this discovery is turned to dismay when it becomes known how little there is by way of support.

Lesbians have found that women's refuges, geared to protecting women from men, are not always understanding about same-sex violence. And refuges for men (outside of one 20-bed place in London) appear not to exist. Even less support and understanding is available for transgender people experiencing domestic abuse.

Into this huge social desert Broken Rainbow (the National Organisation) has stepped. Broken Rainbow Cornwall is a registered charity that shares their name by agreement but operates slightly differently from the National organisation.

Contact:

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Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism - LAGCAR

Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism - LAGCAR An active group within NAAR, the National Assembly Against Racism, LAGCAR campaigns against the racist and anti-gay politics of groups such as the British National Party.

Contact:

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Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - FFLAG

Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - FFLAG.

Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is a continually growing national voluntary organisation and registered charity with more than 40 telephone helplines across the UK and parents' groups which hold regular meetings.

Contact:

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Intercom Trust - a local gay advocacy and training charity

Intercom Trust. An active and long-standing charity, run by two gay men, which has excellent links with the Devon and Cornwall Police and to some of the big South West employers.

Contact:

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Stonewall Stonewall.

Needs no introduction.

Devon County Council is a Stonewall Champion and takes its link with Stonewall seriously. The County was pleased to be 38th in the top 100 employers in 2005.

Though it has not managed since to keep up with the other employers and its position looks to slip lower, UNISON's Devon County LGBT Group and the DCCLGBT Staff Group are working consultatively with each other and the Council to ensure it regains its status, and more!

Members from both of the LGBT groups have attended Stonewall seminars and conferences as County Council representatives and positive feedback has resulted.

Contact:

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ILGA (Europe) - International Lesbian and Gay Association, European Region

ILGA (Europe) - International Lesbian and Gay Association, European Region. ILGA(Europe) is the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association.

It is a non-governmental umbrella organisation which represents its members, principally organisations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, at the European level. Its membership consists of some 200 organisations from across Europe each of which works for human rights and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

ILGA(Europe) enjoys participative status at the Council of Europe and receives financial support from the European Community. It is a member of the Platform of European Social NGOs. ILGA(Europe) was established as a separate region of the ILGA in 1996. ILGA itself was founded in 1978. It has an office in Brussels.

Contact: