ONE DAY TRAINING ON HOMOPHOBIC AND TRANSPHOBIC BULLYING TAKES PLACE IN TIRANA

26 February 2016, Tirana - PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania held at the premises of the Human Rights House of Albania the one day training “Homophobic and transphobic bullying”.

The activity was held in the framework of the initiative “Improve the lives of LGBTI people at community level” with the support of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights and was attended by psychologists and social workers of the Albanian National Child Helpline – ALO 116, a service at disposal of children and adolescents in need of support, and in the most difficult moments of their lives.

The training was organized into two parts and focused on detailed information on LGBTI concepts, sexual orientation and gender identity. The second part served to discuss several problems that derive from discrimination, homophobic bullying, transphobia, etc.  A good part of this space served to discuss with participants on issues that young people face with bullying and how to council them on issues that they may experience in school among peers. For some of them questions space from gender identity, heteronormativism, name calling, models of parenting, life stories, etc.

Participants at the training had the opportunity to listen to the Swedish experience from the human rights activist Mr Linus Lungby who is having his internship at the Human Rights House of Albania. He shared with the participants the awareness raising model that he has organized and taken part regarding homophobic and transphobic bullying and harassment. He stressed that professionals of analogue help lines can counsel young people on incidents of discrimination, or homophobia that may happen in schools.

PINK wants to thank the helpline’s staff for their interest in holding this training and wishes for more such activities to take place in the future with the participation of many groups and public or private institutions.

For more information please contact: pinkembassy@crca.al; Tel: 04 2265741