In August of 2022 Youth Network No Excuse held an Erasmus + project called All colors of the Rainbow with youth from Poland, Portugal, Belgium, and Spain. The main goals of the project were, firstly, to improve awareness and knowledge of sexuality, different sexual orientations, and gender identities among young people by empowering them to have effective conversations about sexuality and LGBTQ+ topics with their peers. Secondly, to raise awareness of true and distorted information and to develop youth’s critical thinking on the subject. Lastly, the goal of the project was to equip young people with knowledge and competencies and then give them the space to create and work on what is important to them by creating products for youth workers in this field and through them spreading awareness and the impact of the project. 

Young people participating in the project reflected on their first impressions of LGBTQ+ people and on how these impressions have changed throughout time to start thinking about LGBTQ+ identity, people, and experience from their own perspective, to think about where their opinions and beliefs come from, and to realise the importance of talking about these issues openly. Participants were also asked to reflect on their identities, and then think about how elements of their lives (relationships, daily lives, future goals) would change due to being a part of a stigmatized minority (or more of them). Through this and other activities they gained a better understanding of challenges and prejudice LGBTQ+ people face, including mental health problems, homophobia and transphobia, limited rights, stereotype, prejudice and violence, underrepresentation of this minority in everyday media, and many more. They learned about asexuality and thought about what it teaches us about relationships and communication. They had a training of peer communication about these topics, where they thought, talked about, and learned how to be supportive in peer interactions with youngsters from the LGBTQ+ minority, creating a safe space for them to open up and feel supported. In addition to this, they reflected about why it is important to actively stand up against unfair treatment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people and how to do that. They also started thinking about how to have safe conversations about sexuality and sexual needs and desires that are awakening in them. 

Participants collaborated when searching through Ljubljana on a treasure hunt, when preparing an international evening, learning about stress reducing techniques, and in many more activities in which they created a supporting group and made international friendships for a lifetime. Their collaboration came to life the most when they were creating products by the end of the project. These were created for youth workers who deal with topics of LGBTQ+ people and range from social media posts informing the public about these topics; a comic book dealing with taboos; educational games including LGBTQ+ snakes and ladders, a mental health mood board, and picture cards; and infographics on LGBTQ+ topics as well as consent, healthy relationships, emotional safety, STDs and more. Through these products youth showed what is important to them, how they can benefit society, and what they are capable of when given the support and space to explore and create what is meaningful to them.

 

ALL COLORS OF THE RAINBOW GUIDELINES

COMIC BOOK – ALL COLORS OF THE RAINBOW