Hart Gables - A charity registered in England number 1109704

This report details the findings of a research project commissioned by Hart Gables and funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Community Chest in 2008. The report explores the needs, wants and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Hartlepool .

This work looks at the concept of managing diversity and its place in the management of organisations. In particular the perceptions of individuals within a global company are investigated. The perceived benefits of managing diversity are explored with a review of the current reported levels of success.

Through a combination of desktop research, interviews and a postal survey during the first half of 2005, the perceptions of individuals on a single operating unit are gathered and assessed against the corporate policy and its aims.

The research identifies key elements for a successful diversity policy and concludes that the global policy of interest does incorporate these qualities. However, the data collected in the interviews and survey identifies a significant level of aversive discrimination in the workplace and a lack of understanding of the corporate policy. It identifies problems and delays in implementation as key factors behind the problems, but also reveals evidence of progress towards a solution. Various trends are observed and issues that would be suitable areas for further research are identified along the way.

A more general observation is that inclusion should be the focus of activity because diversity is a fact of life rather than a manageable attribute and that the elimination of discrimination as a cost would be a more productive business goal than the development of diversity as a business asset.

Danielle Duncalf & Helen Gibson
Funded by the Hull and East Riding Primary Care Trusts Specialist Health Promotion Service via the Hull LGBT Forum Ltd.

This research was funded in September 2004 for two researchers to work five hours per week over a period of six months. The research was funded by the Hull and East Riding Primary Care Trust Specialist Health Promotion Service and hosted by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Forum [Hull LGBT Forum Ltd.].

The aim of the research was to identify the sexual health needs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered community within the Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire area. The research is important because it is the first piece of research in over ten years to have addressed the sexual health needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community in Hull and the East Riding.

In total 93 members of the LGBT community participated in the research (26 lesbians, 47 gay men, 16 bisexual men and women and 4 transgendered persons) by completing an online or face to face questionnaire consisting of 42 questions.

Conclusion

There is a need for education on two prominent levels. Firstly, there is evidence to suggest that the sexual health knowledge of the LGBT community could be better and improved by education.

Education also needs to extend to all health professionals. Members of the LGBT community access a variety of health services and report a mixture of positive and negative experiences in accessing these services as a direct result of their sexuality. 

Experiences of having a sexual health screening were both positive and negative and appeared to be at two extremes. The positive experiences suggest excellent practice however some of the negative experiences are wholly unacceptable. There is a lack of sexual health services specifically for the LGBT community but there is also a lack of need for them. 

From the results of this and previous research and literature a number of recommendations can be formulated. These recommendations centre around education and training for both service providers, service user and the LGBT community, adequate provision of services, products and information and promoting user involvement (A detail list of recommendations can be found within the ‘Conclusion and Recommendations’ part of this report).