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25 or under?
Would you like your voice to be heard?
Would you be prepared to talk about the experiences you’ve had?

FILL IN AN ONLINE SURVEY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN £50!!!

Solutions are conducting some research in association with Q:alliance and could really do with your input. Results from this survey will help improve the services young LGBT people get from a variety of agencies and help us all to get a better understanding of what life is like for young LGBT people in the city.

Complete our short online survey to be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win £50 of CMK shopping vouchers.

http://www.survey.gabba.net/people_mk_survey
OR
http://tinyurl.com/YoungLGBT

PLEASE DOWNLOAD THIS POSTER AND DISPLAY IT IN APPROPRIATE PLACES TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD

citizens:mk is a developing alliance of communities – religious institutions, schools, unions, charities and community associations – working together for a better Milton Keynes. Using the methods of ‘community organising,’ the goal is social, economic and environmental justice. They will meet that goal by training people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds to take action together for change, as well as provide a voice for civil society to hold our elected officials to account.

For more details on citizens:mk, there approach and details on the assembly visit www.citizensmk.org.uk.

A date for your calendars. On Saturday January 30th, the LGBT General Assembly 2010 (North Buckinghamshire) will be held at the Ridgeway Community Centre in Milton Keynes (map link). The objective is to bring together all those who are interested in the LGBT community in the area.

Whether you organise events or activities, or are interested in attending them, this is the opportunity. The day will consist of:

• Brief presentations by the various organisations as to what they do and offer
• Discussion as to what people would like to see as events
• Discussion on what is the LGBT community itself
• Public viewing of Olivia Humphreys’ film “Late-Comers” about “older” people coming out.

Topics to be covered include support, healthcare, sports, social evenings and more.

Tell us what you do, tell us what you want.

To be kept informed or to mark your interest, please get in contact with Peter Leeson – PeterJLeeson {at} hotmail(.)com or 01908 501426.

1) Pink Punters have a quick survey for you to take to help improve their services. You can take it on their website.

2) Milton Keynes Council are looking for your comments on their Equality and Diversity Framework – do you feel LGBT issues are being sufficiently represented/thought about? You can read the framework and offer your comments here.

3) NHS Milton Keynes want you to join in ‘the Big Conversation’ to have your say about local health services – more details here.

4) There is a Facebook group where you can give your comments about a new LGBT-friendly venue that is being planned for Milton Keynes. If you’re not on Facebook, you can also provide comments on the Gay MK email group.

5) Finally, and a little bit different from the others, Milton Keynes Council of Voluntary Organisations have three Community Mobiliser vacancies. Being a Community Mobiliser is your chance to make a difference working from schools and other community venues, you‘ll help ‘mobilise’ children, young people, their families, and voluntary and community groups to improve their quality of life. More details here.

If you want to make a difference in Milton Keynes, do take the time to look at some of the above links. There are many ways to make life better for LGBT people in the area and some of these are really quick and easy ways to get things done!

Stonewall today publishes a 10 point plain English guide to help employers and service providers explain to their staff and service users why monitoring information is being collected. ‘What’s it got to do with you?’ explains why a range of data – such as age, gender, sexual orientation and belief – may now be requested, and what the benefit is. With many organisations anticipating new measures in the Equality Bill ‘What’s it got to do with you?’ makes the case for monitoring across all equality characteristics.

For more information, and to download the guide, visit the Stonewall site.

You can enter GroupSpace without reporting to reception by turning right once you enter Acorn House.

This week Pick Paper and Fyne Times will be available on the (unmanned) red reception desk, this may change next week, and we will be sure to inform you if it does. Huge thanks to Milton Keynes Council of Voluntary Organisations for helping to make this possible. We are looking for a distribution point in Aylesbury, so if you can help get in touch.

Pink Paper is Britain’s biggest gay publication and features, news, features, interviews and a whole bunch of greatness on a bi-weekly basis.

Fyne Times is a monthly magazine  for LGBT people in the south of the country. Each month features a wide range of news, reviews, listings and a fantastic column from leading human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

We will be trailing this service for the next 3 months, so if you want access to free, good quality LGBT publications, do take advantage!

If you have any enquiries about this service please get in contact with us by email, as Acorn House is not responsible for this service.

We will be updating this information regularly, so check back here often or sign up here to be notified of updates to the site by email. We also have a very exciting RSS feed if you’re into that sort of thing.

You know that magical feeling you get when you see two women or two men holding hands in public? Imagine if you could see and feel that every day.

A Day In Hand seeks to promote equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bi & Trans (LGBT) people by inspiring same-sex couples across the globe to hold hands publicly. Anybody, on any day, can take part.

The love and commitment of LGBT couples has no presence in everyday life. Whilst laws are changing, cultural attitudes still need to be addressed. Equal rights are a necessity but we need equal respect too. Hand holding is a simple, liberating gesture that is essential to our communities’ health.

David Watkins, group founder answers questions:

Can straight people get involved?
You don’t have to be gay to object to homophobia. We are asking straight people to hold hands with someone of their same gender in public, and describe how it made them feel. This is an inclusive event and involving straight people will support a wider understanding of this issue.

Who is behind the campaign?
Celebrities and public figures have been quick to get involved. Brian Paddick (I’m A Celebrity…) appeared in a photoshoot for the project, and activists Cleve Jones (Harvey Milk’s aide) and Peter Tatchell support the campaign.

Why same-sex hand-holding?
We believe increasing visibility of LGBT people through hand holding will change the way communities understand LGBT people and their relationships.

What can I do?
A Day In Hand is asking people to upload photos of same-sex hand-holding to www.adayinhand.com, register on the site and spread the word.

A Day In Hand will launch at XXL Club, London Bridge 1-4pm on 17 May 2009, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). Register on the website to receive more information as this becomes available.

We will be updating this information regularly, so do check back here often or sign up here to be notified of updates to the site by email. Of course, we’re always looking for people to get involved with our current services and to help launch new ones, so if you want to get involved with your local LGBT community email us at volunteer {at} qalliance.org(.)uk.