- Conference
- 2023 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 21 July 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Conference will recall that the 2022 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender plus (LGBT+) Conference voted in support of stepping up our efforts to ensure young LGBT+ members are being recruited and given opportunities to become activists within our self-organised group (SOG). This committed the national LGBT+ committee to work with the National Young Members Forum (NYMF) to encourage joint campaigning by young members and LGBT+ members on issues of shared concern, and to develop best practice in building engagement to consult young LGBT+ members on their priorities.
So far, this campaign has been a great success. There are over 100 young LGBT+ members as part of a network and many of them have joined their regional LGBT+ SOGs as a result. It has also led to the creation of the National LGBT+ Committee young LGBT+ member mentoring scheme, where national LGBT+ committee members mentor young LGBT+ network members to encourage further activism within our SOG and in UNISON structures. This gives young LGBT+ members the chance to learn from the knowledge and experience of years of activism which has taken place in support of LGBT+ rights.
Conference recognises the importance of recruiting young members and it’s the responsibility of all UNISON members to foster the talent of our young members. As we enter UNISON’s Year of the LGBT+ Workers, it is essential that we redouble our efforts and continue to grow the young LGBT+ member network. Because of the success of the national LGBT+ committee’s campaign, the committee can share their strategies and learnings with branch and regional LGBT+ SOGs on making young member engagement a priority.
If we can bring young LGBT+ members into all levels of the UNISON LGBT+ structure, we can continue their activism journey in UNISON. This can only be good for our membership and activist development and secure our legacy in the year of LGBT+ workers.
Conference calls on the National LGBT+ Committee to work with the NYMF to:
1)Create guidance for branches and regions to support the incorporation of young members in their LGBT+ structures and organising strategies.
2)Encourage young members that identify as LGBT+ to be involved in the young LGBT+ members’ network through regions and branches.
3)Evaluate the rollout of the Young LGBT+ Member Mentoring Scheme and further develop the scheme, sharing best practice with branches and regions to further build this approach into our organising strategies at all levels.