To register to this event please sign in or sign up if you are a new Amplified Leicester member. This event is free to attend.

http://ampleic.ning.com/events/event/show?id=3909254%3AEvent%3A1395&xgi=4kOv4KmtxFnJVg&xg_source=msg_invite_event

Lead by Amy Sample-Ward this session focuses on strategies and case studies for creating successful community-driven media, events and campaigns. Participants will learn about best practices and work in small groups to put learning into practice. This session will include a presentation, discussion and small group scenarios.

Amy says:
I am dedicated to supporting and educating organizations and changemakers in the use of evolving technologies that cultivate and engage communities. I am inspired by opportunities to catalyze community building and social action, online and offline, whether it’s through blogging, facilitating, training, or speaking. In 2009, I co-authored Social by Social, a handbook in using social technologies for social impact, and have had the great opportunity to contribute to additional publications about social media. I am the Global Community Development Manager for NetSquared, leading the strategy for our global Community both on and offline. I have worked in private philanthropy, advocacy nonprofit organizations, web design companies, and as a consultant.

See the Social by Social Website at: http://www.socialbysocial.com/

http://www.thebigsociety.net/

With the support of the community LASS aim to raise £3000 for their children’s fund, food bank and hardship fund. There will be a range of walks of different lengths and different terrains. The shortest is fine for wheelchairs and pushchairs, the longest is 20km. The walks will start at different times and aim to finish between 5 and 7 for a barbecue. The pub has made their skittle alley available for fund raising so there will also be a raffle, therapies, bric-a-brac and cake stalls as well as a bouncy castle for children. For more information about the walks and to register please contact Dipesh, George, Casey or Mohsin at LASS, or email on reception@lass.org.uk .

If people are not able to join a walk please sponsor someone from LASS – look on www.justgiving.com/lass , come also for the afternoon/evening or help by volunteering as a steward.

100% of the funds raised will go to the charitable funds. Even today the number of people living with HIV in Leicester and Leicestershire is rising. People are still living in extreme hardship because of the fear of HIV discrimination and stigma. Eating well and keeping healthy are two key ways someone with HIV can ensure their HIV diagnosis is not a life sentence, but becomes a long term condition.

The fund raising day is also about awareness raising and support. LASS hopes people will join them to support the organization and encourage people to pass  this invitation on to friends, families and social networks.

The address of the Horse and Groom is: 1783, Melton Road, Rearsby, Leicestershire, LE7 4YR

stamp it out!

To Leicestershire Constabulary HQ in Enderby this morning, for the launch of “Stamp It Out!” This is a community led partnership bringing together different groups and organisations all committed to challenging, tackling and stamping out hate within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Values Team with Chief Inspector Rich Keenan

In today’s Britain no one should ever feel under threat of verbal or physical violence just of their disability, transgender (gender identity), race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. The risk of being attacked or abused on the street, at work or in their own home just because of who they are remains and everyday reality for many people. If hate incidents go unreported this fear will increase and affects people’s ability to live open and happy lives.

http://equalitydiversityofficer.blogspot.com/2010/06/stamp-it-out.html

The BBC have just been commissioned to make a groundbreaking and important film for BBC Three that looks at the gay rights situation in Uganda – for this film they are looking for a young gay person (between 18 – 29) who has some connection to Uganda (either personal or through their grandparents or parents) who could go on a journey to Uganda and be a presenter and reporter 

 Reva Nandakumara says of the role -

“this is a really important film for the gay people of Uganda and for gay rights awareness worldwide and could help them immensely so please do help us to make it..the commission is dependent on us finding the right person to present it. You don’t need to have any presenting or TV experience, this is a unique opportunity for someone who wants to make a difference.  Please pass my email and number 07957654511 to anyone who maybe be interested..

Deadline – 25th June

 Contact: 

Reva Nandakumara
BBC Current Affairs
mailto: reva.nandakumara@bbc.co.uk
tel: 0208 008 5787

All First Step services are FREE.

Contact First Step by calling the  helpline number, which is: 0116 254 8535.

or write to First Step, c/o Jasmine House, PO Box 7402, Leicester LE1 6WD

Tony Magee
Currently Chair and a Survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

A choice of male or female volunteers will be given whenever possible. If there is no one available please leave a message on the helpline answerphone and asomeone will return your call as soon as possible.

You can seek further information, talk about how you feel and/or arrange an informal meeting, so you can learn more about the project. People are encouraged, if they prefer, to bring someone you trust to this initial meeting. You can decide what you want to do next and you may want to takeup the offer of face to face counselling.

Why is First Step needed?

First Step acknowledges that male sexual abuse exists, that few men receive help and that services for them are limited. More men are experiencing the fact that they are being passed from one agency to another and are asking for a specialist service. More men are starting to talk openly about their experiences and those involved in helping are highlighting the ‘ripple’ effect of the abuse. They are asking for support and the need for a male survivor service in the city of Leicester, Rutland and rural Leicestershire. More people feel the time is right for survivors and their supporters to have more choice, to end the isolation of coping alone and be part of a co-ordinated response. First Step already has the backing of several local and national organisations and are also supported by Leicester Rape Crisis and The Survivors Trust, a national umbrella group for front line specialist groups.

How did First Step start?

Research was carried out into the response of local agencies most likely to be approached by adult male survivors and their supporters. This resulted in the decision to bring together a number of individuals together to create a new service to give more specific assistance. Volunteers with a wide variety of skills and experience, including survivors themselves, have been especially trained to offer telephone and face to face counselling. Funding has been obtained from a variety of public and private sources.

A preliminary aim is to enable survivors to take the First Step away from the isolation they experience. They can begin to recognise themselves as part of a courageous community of men who want to be happier, more fulfilled and,perhaps, reach out to other adult male survivors of sexual abuse. First Step believes that it is important for survivors to take charge of their own recovery and exercise the real choice so far denied them and make important changes to their lives.

How does First Step work?

A group of proffessionally trained and experienced volunteers are providing free, confidential telephone and face to face counselling. The service empowers survivors and gives them an opportunity to be listened to in a way that does not judge, blame or tell them what to do. There will be an emphasis on providing time for service users to build up trust at their own pace. They may also talk about their experiences, in as much, or as little detail as they want, to help them explore ways of surviving and healing.

Research has shown that partners, family and friends are often ignored when services are offered. First Step will provide an opportunity for them to work out how they can continue supporting survivors and develop strengths which enable them to share in the survivor’s recovery and success. Along with adult male survivors family ad friends are encouraged to use the service and help contribute towards the development of the project.

What else does First Step offer?

First Step is committed to organising and developing support groups for adult male survivors. These groups offer a unique opportunity for survivors to gain mutual support from men who have had similar experiences. A support group can be invaluable in providing opportunities to recognise the courage of others, so people can start to find it themselves. First Step are willing to arrange groups for partners, family or friends who are supporting survivors.

Knowing that many of those providing existing services often work in isolation and without adequate training. First Step will provide consultation and trainng to individuals and organisations.

The recruitment of volunteers will continue and regular supervision will be provided to those involved in telephone and/or face to face counselling.

Attempts at educating the public and other service providers will continue through workshops, seminars and the quarterly First Step Newsletter.

Information and relevant reading material will be made available and updated regularly. Established links with other survivor projects will continue.

If people are not ready to call, try reading ‘Victims No Longer’ by Mike Lew or ‘Male Rape’ by Richie McMullen – information empowers, openness destroys secrecy and sharing can lead to change.

First Step is supported by: Rugby RoSA and Leicester Victim Support.

The following are the councillors, the council wards they represent and their responsibilities:

Councillor Veejay Patel (Latimer) – Council Leader – Strategy, Finance, Communications and Property

Councillor Vi Dempster  (Beaumont Leys) - Deputy Leader – Children and Schools

Councillor Abdul Osman (Charnwood) - Regeneration and Transport

Councillor Wayne Naylor (Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields) – Health and Community Safety

Councillor Culdipp Singh Bhatti – Frontline Services and Neighbourhoods

Councillor Rory Palmer ( Eyres Monsell) – Adult Social Care

Councillor Paul Westley (Beaumont Leys) - Housing

Councillor Sarah Russell (Westcotes) - Environment and Sustainability

Councillor Mohammed Dawood (Spinney Hills) - Community Cohesion and Human Resources

Councillor Robert Wann (Fosse) - Culture and Leisure

A nightclub entrepreneur is hoping to transform an area of the city into Leicester’s unofficial gay quarter. Venue owner Paul Giles has said that he would like to give the gay community “ownership” of a district in the city centre.

The area being proposed is the stretch of Belgrave Gate from its junctions with Abbey Street and Burleys flyover.

His two bars, Quebec and The Village, in Belgrave Gate, are what he sees as the start of a long-term plan to transform an area of Leicester into a gay-friendly district.

He says he is in talks over four more venues, all in the area.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Gay-village-plans-city/article-1999604-detail/article.html

‘Queer Histories’ are coming under the microscope on Friday 26th February at 4.30pm as part of the highly popular New History Lab at the University of Leicester.

The session has been arranged to coincide with the LGBT History Month, which takes place in February each year, and offers an opportunity to learn more about the histories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Britain and Northern Ireland and to celebrate its diversity.

The ‘Queer Histories’ Lab will feature the work of two leading researchers from the University’s School of English.

Dr David Clark will be talking about intimate relationships and friendships between Medieval men and Dr Holly Furneaux will discuss themes from her recent book, ‘Queer Dickens: Erotics, Families, Masculinities’.”

Postgraduate student Mark Small, who is organising the session, commented: “We see this as an important event because, despite twenty-odd years of growth in the field, queer history is still an under-represented topic, and to have access to new areas of analysis such as Victorian novels and Medieval society is exciting.

“New History Lab likes to promote discussion right at the spearhead of historical thought and education. Neither the School of Historical Studies nor the Centre for Urban History have before entertained a discussion primarily about queer history, so I felt it was high time to sort one out.”

Mark was able to tie in the opportunity to explore these issues with the national LGBT History Month this February, organising speakers who were hot off the press with brand new research.

Dr David Clark specialises in medieval literature with a current focus on medieval gender and sexuality and the modern reception of medieval literature. Among his many publications is the monograph, Between Medieval Men: Male Friendship and Desire in Early Medieval Literature (Oxford University Press, 2009).

Dr Holly Furneaux’s main research interests are in the nineteenth century, especially in gender, sexuality, the body, medicine and the Victorian novel. Her book, Queer Dickens (Oxford University Press, 2009) explores the affirmative representations of same-sex desire and non-normative ‘families of choice’ in the novels of Dickens, and how this fiction draws on and develops wider cultural strategies of queer expression.

Mark explained the concept behind the event: “Queer history is often described as ‘the history of the “other”‘. This means that it’s not just the history of gay men or lesbians, or any other genders, or of sex. It’s a cumulative history of anyone who doesn’t fit into the constructed gender norms of society.

“Queer history provides a new and wider perspective from which to view sources, concepts and themes, shedding different light on material previously only assessed through a narrower perspective.

“Its aim is to provide a voice and a viewpoint for those who were not part of the dominant discourse of the period, and might not have been considered in previous histories of the period, including heterosexual men and women, homosexual men and women, people who identify with neither, any age, any class, any ethnicity and any heritage.”

The New History Lab is run by postgraduate students for students and others with an interest in the subject. Since it was set up in 2008 it has developed a reputation for lively discussion and exchange of ideas in a friendly, informal setting that moves between a meeting room and the local pub.

Among the trademarks of NHL meetings is a selection of home-made cakes and the quirky predominance of a deep fuchsia pink.

Malcolm Noble, co-founder of the New History Lab with fellow postgraduate student Matt Neale and Professor of English History, Rob Colls, commented: “I am delighted at this special session for LGBT History Month. The history of the family and of friendships offers vital lines of historical enquiry, and this excellent showcase for this research will hopefully inspire much more.

“The New History Lab is enjoying a highly successful second year, with a range of sessions to support research training in the School of Historical Studies and other interested disciplines.
“This term we have focused on solving problems: researching, writing and publishing. Our first day conference, on 30th January, had nearly fifteen interdisciplinary papers from postgraduate students around the country, and wide-ranging discussion amongst the fifty delegates present.”

The New History Lab is supported by the University of Leicester Graduate School.

The NHL session, ‘Queer Histories’ will take place on Friday 26th February at 4.30pm, at 1 Salisbury Road, Leicester. It is open to anyone interested in tea and cake, and dynamic discussion.

For more information on ‘Queer Histories’ please contact Mark A Small, mas52@leicester.ac.uk, or via University of Leicester press office on 0116 252 2415

You can get the cards from LASS – to send to the person you love – to remind them how important it is to stay safe. Or for you youth or community group.
If you are worried you might have caught an STI or HIV make sure you get tested. You can get a Rapid HIV test at LASS, or a full screen at GU Medicine at Leicester Royal Infirmary or Loughborough Hospital.
Contact LASS on 0116 255 9995 or visit www.lass.org.uk for more information

For further information, please contact Celia Fisher Leicestershire AIDS Support Services: 0116 255 9995, celia@lass.org.uk. LASS is a Registered Charity, number 1023914