Anchor LGBT Group

Anchor'sLGBT tenant group was set up in October 2007. They meet quarterly and rotate their meetings around the country.

The group would like the focus for them to be:

· To help make Anchor a safe and welcoming environment for LGBT tenants and staff

The group welcome the opportunity to be involved in any diversity consultation relating to training, polices etc. We have consulted with them about future developments of Anchor Homes, training and our communications policy. They are currently helping shape staff guidance to advise staff how they can best support our LGBT tenants.

Staff and tenant members joined a planning group to organise a conference (and celebration) for Older LGBT people following on from discussions that with Sue Mann, Regional Officer for Help the Aged. The conference (March) was a celebration of older LGBT and their contributions. This builds on the links we have made with Age Concern and the Equity group in Bradford and we have joined together to arrange the LGBT conference with others including Help the Aged, York Mesmac and Future Years, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Forum on Ageing.

The group were instrumental in the development of Diversity training 'Celebrating Difference' which was written and delivered to all 120 tenant members of the national tenant forums. Feedback from this is helping shape staff training. We are currently planning some workshops for staff where they can drop in to speak to members of the LGBT group to find out more about the group. Staff are invited to join the group and we do have some staff members who feel they benefit from the mutual support which staff and tenants can offer each other.

Anchor is now setting up a BME tenant group to offer support to its Black and Minority Ethnic tenants.