Diversity

Teenage years are difficult enough with all the haywire hormones, spot outbreaks, greasy hair (even when you’ve just washed it!), weird voice changes, growth spurts and everything else that goes on physically and mentally for us! Add in the fact that it can feel like every teacher is telling you their lesson and work is THE most important and at the end of it all you face a series of exams. Secondary school is also the time when we are trying to work out who we are in terms of our identity. What are our passions, hobbies and interests, what do we believe in and what do we have no time for. It is also perhaps when we start to think about who it is we want to be when we grow up.

In our teenage years we strive to be independent and different but still want to feel like we belong with our peers. Parts of what makes us who we are can cause us to feel confusion and conflict. This can be when when that part of us doesn’t seem to be reflected in the community we live in. This feeling of conflict can lead to ill mental health.

I would like to think that the Sackville Community can use our uniqueness to connect us instead of choosing to use our differences to drive us apart. If you are interested in understanding more about a culture or lifestlye that is different from your own you might find the following websites helpful. Also, if you are struggling with understanding a part of you that feels like it “doesn’t fit” it may be there is a link below to help: 

Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME)

Black and Minority Ethnic Young People’s Project – a youth-led organisation, which aims to provide support and empowerment for Black, Asian, Arab and Mixed Heritage young people aged 11 to 25 in Brighton and Hove and the surrounding areas. BMEYPP run different activities and projects and workshops: parties, cultural, media and arts, sports and trips organised by young people.    

Black Information Link (Blink) – Black Information Link provides all the latest news and information concerning ethnic minorities living in the UK. Regardless if you were born in the UK or immigrated there for whatever reason, BLINK can provide all the news and other useful information needed to guide and inform you concerning minority communities.   

Black Lives Matter UK – WE ARE YOU, The black citizen with a long black history of discrimination and have had enough.  

Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) – FFT works on behalf of all Gypsies and Travellers regardless of ethnicity, culture or background. In Sussex, services include outreach and health and wellbeing teams.    

Help, Open, Protect & Empower (HOPE) BME Women and Girls – HOPE is a multi-lingual group of Black and Minority Ethnic women who are trained to raise awareness of domestic violence and abuse among women in BME communities across Sussex. They offer facilitated sessions to community groups. HOPE protect BME women and girls who are victims/survivors of violence against women and girls by providing help, advice, support and information on national and local available services with the aim of breaking the barriers which result in BME women being excluded. HOPE empower BME women and girls who have been affected by violence and abuse by providing capacity building, training and development which will enable them to become more than just survivors.

Sussex Interpreting Service – provides community interpretation and translation services for people with language needs within Black
and Minority Ethnic, Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant communities.    

West Sussex Ethnic Minority & Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) – the EMTAS team works with West Sussex schools to raise the attainment of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) and bilingual pupils. We also provide support for bilingual learners, BAME pupils at risk of under-achievement, and GRT pupils at risk of under-achievement.  

Learning Difficulties & Disabilities

Aldingbourne Trust – supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism to reach their potential across Sussex. They provide real skills, care and jobs in a very 21st century way. They believe in strong partnerships between social enterprise and charity fundraising to give adults with learning disabilities real choices and more independent lives.    

Carousel – is an award-winning charity supporting learning disabled people to achieve their artistic ambitions. We believe that learning disabled artists make a vital contribution to the world we live in; they are central to decision making and delivery of the work produced.    

Child Autism UK – helps children with autism achieve their potential. We provide services to enable children to overcome difficulties with communication, learning and life skills and give families the techniques and strategies to cope with autism.  

West Sussex Connect to Support – this website aims to support individuals to live well with a health condition or disability.  

LGBT+

Allsorts – in West Sussex, Allsorts’ free services reach remote areas of the county, enabling young people to access specialist LGBT+ support previously unavailable to them. These services include youth groups, one-to-one support, in-schools emotional support and Advocacy for LGBT+ and Unsure young people ages 11-19 in Worthing, Horsham and Chichester.  

Gender Trust – for all those affected by gender identity issues.    

LGBTQ Directory of Free Support – a Sussex and UK wide list of support and social groups available.  

Mermaids – one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charities, empowering thousands of people with its secure online communities, local community groups, helpline services, web resources, events and residential weekends. We also seek to educate and inform wider society on gender identity by helping professionals accommodate and reassure gender-variant young people.    

Rainbow Families – is an informal social group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents and their children in Brighton & Hove, Sussex and surrounding areas.    

Women

Brigthon Women’s Centre – have been supporting self-identifying women in Sussex for over 40 years. We help women from all backgrounds, facing all kinds of issues, to live happier lives.    

The Women’s Centre Cornwall – don’t be put off by it’s location (!), they have an amazing information and support section. 

Young Carers

Imago (East Sussex) – East Sussex Young Carers provided by Imago funded by East Sussex County Council, supports Young Carers aged 5-18 who are responsible for caring for a family member with a long-term illness, disability, mental health or substance misuse issues.    

Imago (Kent) – Kent Young Carers is the countywide service for Young Carers aged 5-18 across Kent.  Young Carers are taking on caring responsibilities for a family member with a long-term illness, disability, mental health or substance misuse issue.  

West Sussex Carers Online – the West Sussex Young Carers Team can help by providing details of activities and clubs for young carers so you can have a regular break from your caring routine.