Breaking the Cycle

Supporting the delivery of a sustainable Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans Sector in the North West Region.

A Five Year Strategy underpinning the development of the LGB&T Sector in the North West (2009 - 2014).

Forewards by:
Paul Martin -Chief Executive, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation
Beverley Hughes MP - Regional Minister for the North West and Minister for Children, Young People and Families
Christine Burns - Chair North West Equality & Diversity Group
Jacquie O’Neill - Head of Diversity, Community Cohesion and The Third Sector, Government Office North West
Patrick White - Executive Director of Policy, North West Development Agency
Shahnaz Ali - Associate Director of Equality & Diversity NHS North West
Tim Wainwright - Director of English Regions, Equality & Human Rights Commision
Phil Robinson - Chief Executive, 4NW
Matthew Leach - Chief Executive, Capacitybuilders

In February 2009 The Lesbian and Gay Foundation launched a ground-breaking new piece of work - 'Breaking the Cycle' - a five year strategy underpinning the development of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans sector in the North West of England.

The LGB&T Strategy is a first for the North West, it is a comprehensive document that highlights the cycle of barriers that LGB&T people and communities face, and provides a wide range of practical recommendations for implementation to improve the lives of LGB&T people.

At the beginning of 2007, the Lesbian and Gay Foundation set up The Rainbow Partnership - the network whose members help strengthen and empower Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGB&T) communities and the frontline organisations who support them in the North West of England.

The Rainbow Partnership were integral to the consultation process in putting together this strategy - a result of collaboration and partnership across all sectors in the region, showing exactly what we can achieve when we work together.

For the first time, we have been able to begin to collectively define the needs of our communities, highlight the barriers to growth, and propose pragmatic and practical actions that we can each undertake to improve the lives of the LGB&T people within the North West region.

‘Breaking the Cycle’ is split into five main sections, including an executive summary which collates the recommendations that can be found throughout the report, and which is also available separately. The intended outcomes of these recommendations include:

- Improving organisations in terms of their service delivery to LGB&T people.
- Including LGB&T issues within planning cycles and policy development.
- Increasing the involvement of the workforce and service users.

As with any strategy, its success will need to be measured in how people use it. We believe ‘Breaking the Cycle’ provides a roadmap to create an inclusive environment where all LGB&T people can reach their full potential. We very much hope we have produced an accessible and usable document, which will enable and empower both individuals and groups to lobby for better access to support, inclusion and resources (including funding).

It is intended that North West leaders, take the strategies' recommendations on board and engage with and increase provision for the LGB&T communities which they serve.

The strategy will be used by public, private, voluntary and community sectors to influence their work over the next five years.

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