NEW! Just Active
18th May 2023
Sports & activity project for LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
We are very excited to launch our new sports and activity project; Just Active, as part of the Well-being for Longer in Glasgow fund 2023-2025. We will be working with LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers, living in Glasgow, who are interested in getting active, participating in sports, socialising and feeling connected to their local communities.
What to expect when participating?
- 1:1 support for individual needs
- Group/peer support (including access to an online social media/ social support platform)
- Access to free sports and exercise taster blocks
- Supported, longer-term participation in sport
- A sports/activity mentor
Who can join?
- Must identify as LGBTIQ+
- People who are or who have been refugees and asylum seekers
- Must be aged 18+
- Must stay in Glasgow city local authority
What are the origins of this project?
The current Scottish Government New Scots Integration Strategy recognises that; "People seeking safety on the basis of their Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender or Intersex ( LGBTI) identity can face particular challenges within the asylum process and as refugees...which can have a significant impact on wellbeing". Just Active is a project for LGBTIQ+ people based in Glasgow who are or who have been refugees and asylum seekers (as defined in the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy). The project is based upon a successful activity pilot undertaken by LEAP Sports where we learned that there are legal, welfare and specific health interventions available in Glasgow for LGBTIQ+ refugees, but only limited support available for actual community based integration work within the social, cultural and civic life of the city.
How will this project support LGBTIQ+ refugees?
Just Active aims to increase sports and activity opportunities for LGBTIQ+ refugees in Glasgow to promote wellbeing. We will do this by facilitating a series of sports taster sessions to build confidence and skill development with a focus on supporting future participation and transitions into sports clubs/groups. Through collaboration with Glasgow’s network of inclusive sports clubs and mainstream sports bodies, we plan to match participants with relevant opportunities based on their individual hopes, needs and expectations of participating in sport. The project will also seek to identify specific challenges and barriers faced by the LGBTIQ+ refugee community in Glasgow and provide emotional, practical and financial support to overcome these. Training and resources will be provided to clubs and community groups to bolster their capacity to better support and include LGBTIQ+ refugee members in sports and leisure settings. In addition, we will also be focused on supporting LGBTIQ+ refugees to build relationships and connections through sport/physical activity, mentor schemes and peer support initiatives to allow for better integration with each other and their local communities, including Glasgow’s wider LGBTIQ+ community.
If you would like to find out more or get involved in this project please register your interest by completing this form or by contacting laura@leapsports.org
