Support

Relationships and partnerships:

Last updated: 04/2021

Network principal UK national Partner:

Just a BallGame?

Just a Ball Game? (http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/) is the LGBT+ and Allies Network (formerly ‘LGB&T Dorset Equality Network) principal official UK national main Partner organisation.  JBG?’s Founder and Lead, Ms Lindsay England is the Network’s Patron, and has been so for over four years, and Alan Mercel-Sanca is male Co-Chair of JBG?

You can read more about the JBG? Team here: http://www.justaballgame.co.uk/team-jbg

JBG? is a greatly respected grassroots national organisation whose main LGBT+ community support work covers interventions and education on anti-LGBT prejudice and discrimination & related issues in sport, particularly football. However, it covers other issues and subjects of importance to our LGBT+ community, and on some of these been working for some years directly in mutual supportive partnership and collaboration with the Network.

In its formative stage, up to late March 2021 the Network mainly provided services and support in the Bournemouth & Poole conurbation and Dorset areas, and continues to provide some services there.

However, from the late 2018  to 2019 period the Network — because of its particular focus bases on a number of often overlooked, especially discriminated against, or poorly support issues and needs, and related LGBT+ and LGBTQ sub-populations (prisons and related; LGBT+ victims of the UK immigration hostile environment & related; NHS and mental health context LGBT+ and related including workplace issues; bullying in public service/statutory sector organisations; LGBT+ homeless; etc.) – it became increasingly active at national levels, with the majority of its work concentrating on the latter in 2020.

Regarding this the Network has developed strong relationships with the following national level organisations and entities (in addition to supplementing JBG?s work):

  • Input to a number of Parliamentary Select Committees (such as in particular but not limited to, the Women & Equalities Committee) formal major LGBT+ or LGBT+ impacting inquiries.
  • NHS England’s LGBT+ Advisory Group (where the Network is a member, contributing to some important NHS LGBT+ inclusion and support development strands)
  • With HMPPS (the Prisons and Probations service)
  • The Immigration Advisory Service UK (IAS UK)

Bournemouth & Poole conurbation and Dorset area origins associates, collaboration and partnerships during the Nework’s original ‘LGB&T Dorset Equality Network’ phase (to early 2021):

The Network was created in the mid-2010’s with extensive support from across BPC and Dorset’s LGBT+ communities and groups and organisations where it quickly developed a respected reputation for its effectiveness and independence of any association with ‘tick box’ level LGBT engagement.

During this period, and to the present, Bourne Free LGBT Pride Organisation has been the organisation’s principal, LGBT+ community partner, and Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust (DHC) has become our core statutory sector trusted partner through direct work on training and strategic engagement support the Network provides to the Trust’s healthcare professionals (Steps 2 Wellbeing, etc.) and other staff:

We have also been very Proud to be in the Pan-Dorset area the lead local partner with the national Ask for Clive LGBT+ safe and inclusive venues / places initiative between 2019 & 2020.

Below are some of the organisations we have partnered or continue to partner with in the pan-Dorset & Bournemouth and Poole area and have different forms of collaborative relationships with (including having been the main support partner to the Ask for Clive (AfC) initiative in this area):

  • Ask for Clive LGBT+ safe & inclusive venues & places national initiative
  • Communi-T (Trans & Non-Binary charity: BCP area)
  • Dorset Healthcare (DHC) NHS Trust
  • Dorset CCG
  • Bournemouth & Poole College (BPC)
  • Bourne Free LGBT Pride Festival organisation
  • Dorset FA (IAG: Inclusion Advisory Group)
  • Bourne Free (annual Pride Festival)
  • Lush
  • Proud Cherries (AFC Bournemouth LGBT supports group)
  • Weymouth Gay Group
  • BCP Council Housing
  • Poole/Bournemouth/Dorset [Dorchester, Bridport, Weymouth] Citizens Advice Bureaux
  • Coastal BID, and Weymouth BID
  • BCP Council Homelessness Partnership
  • IEC (International Education Council — formerly IEF)
  • Office of the Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner (DPCC)
  • Dorset Humanists
  • CAN (Community Advice Network — formerly Bournemouth & Poole CVS)
  • Crown Prosecution Service (Wessex CPS Hate Crime Panel)
  • Healthwatch