Last year, we launched a free (with a PVS licence) streaming service specifically designed for UK schools, Into Film+, which houses hundreds of films and accompanying resources that can be used in the classroom.
One of our biggest ambitions for the platform is to explore a range of topical themes and subjects through curated collections. Following the release of a Mental Wellbeing programme for World Mental Health Day (10 October) last year, we launched a LGBTQ+ History Month programme this February. It offers a host of curated films, exclusive additional content and teaching resources and guides, supporting educators to feel confident in bringing these important topics and discussions into the classroom, not just across the month of February, but every day.
This comes at a pivotal time for LGBTQ+ issues within education. Whilst the subject is now integral to the curriculum as part of Relationships Education for primary learners, and Sex and Relationships Education for secondary ones, recent research from LGBT+ charity Just Like Us found that only a third of teachers felt 'completely comfortable' teaching the subject, and one in five actively felt ‘uncomfortable'. Meanwhile, a poll of secondary students from the same charity found that nearly half of young people had received little or no positive messaging at school about being LGBT+ in the past 12 months.
We have also teamed up with experts and individuals from the LGBTQ+ community to offer their knowledge from across the lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace spectrum. These crucial contributions inform how we can bring people's stories to light, to not only educate and inspire young people across the UK, but to instigate and normalise peer-to-peer discussion around this subject.
With this collection, we wanted to recognise the great work - from individuals, organisations and movements - that has been achieved so far in the constant and complex struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. The aim is to utilise our presence within the UK education system to support and foster this change, and to recognise that there is still a lot more work to be done towards equality. This is exactly why we have collaborated with some of the leading experts in this field to influence how these topics can be raised within diverse communities of young people.