Workshops for Students

Our student workshops are interactive, dynamic, and informative hour-long sessions where our facilitators engage with students, exploring and discussing various topics.

These workshops provide insight into LGBTQI+ terminology and language while offering opportunities for conversations, debates, and discussions about scenarios where students can act as supportive allies and create welcoming environments for LGBTQI+ individuals.

Our facilitators also share personal stories of their experiences as LGBTQI+ individuals, including their coming-out journeys, while others recount their journeys as allies. We emphasise how certain language and behaviours in schools can be hurtful and provide tools for supporting LGBTQI+ peers.

The workshop aims to portray the LGBTQ+ community positively through storytelling and conversations. Our goal is to foster a sense of safety and acceptance for young people in their schools and to equip their friends and peers with the knowledge and skills to be effective allies.

Workshops for Teachers, Faculty, and Parents/Guardians

Drawing from over a decade of direct experience with young people in educational settings, these training sessions offer a comprehensive understanding of LGBTQI+ identity, terminology, and allyship.

Our sessions provide a safe environment for participants to ask questions and discuss scenarios through our "ask anything" Q&A. We offer support for both proactive and reactive approaches to foster a safe and inclusive LGBTQ+ environment within your school.

If you, your colleagues, or fellow parents would benefit from a deeper understanding of LGBTQI+ identities, please submit a request form. Our workshops can be customised to suit your requirements, ranging from 90 minutes to a full day, depending on the desired depth of content.

We are eager to work with you to determine the best approach for your school and look forward to speaking with you.

 
“Sometimes, being a queer teen feels so isolating, even if there are other LGBT people in the community around us because it often feels like it’s just that, teenagers. It was nice to see adult people within the community thriving, and even just being there makes it feel like we have a future beyond the walls of our classrooms. Thank you for taking the time to give us the workshop.”
— Student
“ShoutOut’s teacher training is superb. Teachers were provided with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding in a thoughtful, supportive and stimulating environment. ”
— Kevin Duffy, Secondary School Teacher in Claregalway
 

Request Form

This form is an expression of interest. We will be in touch with you shortly to follow up. If you have any questions please email education@shoutout.ie.

FAQs

  • The purpose of our LGBTQI+ workshops is to promote LGBTQI+ inclusion in secondary schools in Ireland through education. We aim to increase the understanding of LGBTQI+ people and our lives, thereby reducing discrimination.

  • Our workshops are an hour long.

  • Our workshops, led by Education Coordinator Ollie Bell, are organised in collaboration with your school to confirm dates and times and address any queries about our student workshops. Our fantastic volunteers, many from the LGBTQI+ community or connected to it, facilitate these sessions. They're trained in delivering ShoutOut workshops, LGBTQ+ terminology, and engaging with young people effectively. We ensure all volunteers are trained in child safeguarding and reporting.

  • We are open to working with all students in your secondary school!

  • Our workshops are designed for up to 30 students per session to ensure we can allow for as much engagement from students as possible. We request that you book a minimum of 2 workshops at a time and a maximum of 5. However, we can facilitate extra days if needed.

  • We use a slideshow for our workshop, which we send out ahead of time. For the walking debate, it's ideal to have some space for students to move around but we understand that sometimes this isn’t possible.

  • We do not charge a set fee, however, if you would like to contribute to ShoutOut's work, we would be very grateful. We suggest a donation of €100. to cover volunteer travel Your contribution will help to resource ShoutOut's work, so we can reach more students across the country and ensure that the message of LGBTQ+ inclusion reaches schools regardless of economic circumstance.

    We want to make sure that our training and workshops are accessible to all so if you feel this would be a barrier to having the training please don't feel a pressure to pay this.

  • We prioritise student privacy and confidentiality and emphasise this at the outset of each workshop, stressing that personal or private matters shared during the session are not to be discussed outside the room. We refrain from asking for personal information from LGBTQI+ students or anyone else uncomfortable sharing. Additionally, we do not take photos or recordings of students, although schools may choose to do so for their own purposes.


    We are committed to child protection and safeguarding. As mandatory reporters, both ShoutOut and our volunteers promptly report any safeguarding concerns disclosed by students to the school's and ShoutOut's Designated Liaison Person. Further details regarding our Child Safeguarding Procedures can be found here.

  • Yes! These workshops do not intend to challenge religious or personal beliefs, but to promote tolerance and inclusion, and to highlight the impact of anti-LGBTQI+ bullying.

Our School Workshops are supported by: