IEG Becomes First FE College to Achieve Rainbow Flag Award from The Kite Trust

The Kite Trust has awarded the prestigious Rainbow Flag Award to Inspire Education Group (IEG), marking a significant milestone as it becomes the first Further Education (FE) College to receive this honour. This achievement represents a step forward for the future of young people and reinforces IEG's commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.

The Kite Trust emphasised the importance of student voices in their statement: “It is really important to allow students to have a voice and they must be heard. This is a core guiding value of the award, which means it has an understanding of local communities and their needs. It also means that information shared through training and other communications is current and fresh, representing the actual everyday experiences of LGBT+ young people.”

First piloted in England in 2017, the Rainbow Flag Award was made possible through funding from the Government Equalities Office, via the Department for Education. This essential funding allowed organisations to develop pioneering schemes specifically aimed at tackling homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic (HBT) bullying in schools.

The Rainbow Flag Award provides a national framework designed for schools, colleges, and youth organisations to adopt a positive approach to LGBT+ inclusion. Initially developed by The Proud Trust in collaboration with LGBT+ youth organisation partners such as Allsorts Youth Project, The Kite Trust, and Humankind Charity, the award has grown to encompass a broad and impactful model.

The Rainbow Flag Award leverages local LGBT+ youth organisations as partners, ensuring:

• A focus on improving the lives of LGBT+ people.
• Utilisation of skills and expertise around LGBT+ identities from youth and community work practices.
• Facilitated learning, interactive tools, and techniques that encourage questioning and exploring in training and services.
• Support for the unique contexts and needs of each participating school or college, encouraging bespoke solutions.
• Maintenance of grassroots connections to local youth and LGBT+ communities, linking schools and students with local LGBT+ youth services.

Receiving the Rainbow Flag Award is a testament to IEG’s dedication to fostering an inclusive educational environment. IEG is proud to be recognised and remains committed to supporting the diverse needs of its students. This award underscores the ongoing efforts to create a space where every student feels valued and heard.