Sunderland City Council gets award for work to tackle discrimination

Young people from across Sunderland have helped the city receive national recognition for tackling discrimination.
L to r: Dorothy Maddison, Anti-bullying Leader SCC; Coun Louise Farthing, Lead Member for Children's Service; Simon Marshall, Director of Education Services SCC and Sarah Rose, Senior Account Manager for Stonewall.L to r: Dorothy Maddison, Anti-bullying Leader SCC; Coun Louise Farthing, Lead Member for Children's Service; Simon Marshall, Director of Education Services SCC and Sarah Rose, Senior Account Manager for Stonewall.
L to r: Dorothy Maddison, Anti-bullying Leader SCC; Coun Louise Farthing, Lead Member for Children's Service; Simon Marshall, Director of Education Services SCC and Sarah Rose, Senior Account Manager for Stonewall.

Leading lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) charity Stonewall has named Sunderland City Council ‘Best New Entrant’ in the Education Equality Index 2016 earlier this year.

Sarah Rose from Stonewall travelled from London to meet Sunderland City Council portfolio holder for Children’s Services, Councillor Louise Farthing, at the city’s Civic Centre to present the award in person.

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They were joined by the council’s director of Education Services Simon Marshall, and Children’s Services Anti-Bullying coordinator Dorothy Maddison, who works with schools and young people across Wearside to provide help, support and advice on how to address the national issue of bullying at local level should any problems ever emerge.

The latest Stonewall award for the authority is in recognition of its efforts to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying amongst young people in schools, youth groups, organisations and community based settings.

Coun Farthing said: “What makes this work so special is the fact it’s being led by young people themselves, with many different groups represented on the LGBT Forum to raise any concerns that they may about the national issue of HBT bullying and how it might be best addressed.”

Sarah Rose, senior account manager at Stonewall, added: “Sunderland City Council stood out for its excellent initiatives and new guidance and toolkits, and has shone with its work with, and for, young people.”