Engage with community perspectives and expectations
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Design inclusive school-wide systems and processes’
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Keep an open door
Keep an open door
Create opportunities to meet with whānau and the wider community.
Create culturally respectful spaces and be responsive to individual needs.
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Expect and prepare for multiple perspectives
Expect and prepare for multiple perspectives
Attitudes to sexual orientation and gender diversity will differ across and within communities, families, generations, and cultural groups.
Consider how you will:
- listen to the concerns of parents and caregivers and acknowledge their points of view
- provide multiple opportunities for parents, caregivers and students to express their values and beliefs
- communicate the systems and processes that support families and whānau in how to have a say
- provide multiple ways to keep parents informed (for example, through newsletters, parent meetings, online spaces)
- promote your antibullying policy and explain its connection to these inclusive practices
- share your school vision for all learners, with a focus on increasing respect and understanding of difference and diversity, and including diverse sexuality and gender identities.
Source: Health and Physical Education Online (opens in a new tab/window)
Demonstrate diversity is valued
Demonstrate diversity is valued
Value and support the diversity in families through:
- engaging and working with parents who can offer skills and expertise around LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences.
- using inclusive language on forms
- including sexuality and gender diversity in the curriculum
- school systems that support families when issues of harassment or prejudice occur
- ensuring families know about the school’s harassment policy and that the school supports gender and sexuality diversity
- seeking a wide representation of diversity on school boards, parent committees, and in wider school activities and events
- communicating the school’s commitment to being a safe, respectful, supportive, and inclusive environment for all members of the school community.
Questions to ask
Questions to ask
To guide effective support, ask parents and whānau about:
- ways to create a supportive environment for their children
- the support options and information they need
- how they want specific questions from other parents, teachers, and students to be handled.
Reflection questions
Reflection questions
Consider these questions for your own context.
- How will you engage your school community in building understanding of creating safe and inclusive school environments for all?
- What opportunities will you provide your community so they can share their expectations and perspectives in a safe and respectful way?
- How will you work collaboratively with whānau on concerns relating to student safety and wellbeing?
- How will you promote programmes that focus on accurate information and respect differences?
- Who can help you build your knowledge of different cultural and religious views and beliefs about gender and sexuality to expand understanding?
- How will you address sexuality and gender diversities in your school charter?
Source: Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (opens in a new tab/window)
Useful resources
Useful resources
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents and their children: Support strategies for educators
Article outlining strategies for creating safe schools for children of LGBT parents. Published by the National Association of School Psychologists (US).
Publisher: National Association of School Psychologists
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Design inclusive school-wide systems and processes”:
Return to the guide “Supporting LGBTQIA+ students”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: LGBTQIA+ students
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversityShow suggestions for Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversity
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Design inclusive school-wide systems and processesShow suggestions for Design inclusive school-wide systems and processes
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Address immediate environmental, physical and social needsShow suggestions for Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs
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Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculumShow suggestions for Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculum
