Embedding inclusion and empathy through education and role model storytelling. Our vision is a world where everyone embraces diversity and can thrive.

Diversity Role Models (DRM) is a UK LGBT+ education charity with a vision of a world where everybody embraces diversity and can thrive.

DRM embeds inclusion and builds empathy through educational workshops in schools featuring personal, lived-experience stories from LGBT+ and ally role models. The workshops help students understand the impact of their language and actions, equipping them with the skills to challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic comments and bullying happening within the student body, driving a school culture shift to celebrating and embracing differences.

To ensure sustained change, student workshops are supplemented by training staff, governors and parents/carers.

Diversity Role Models has been selected by the Department for Education to deliver a programme which empowers schools to take a stand against all forms of bullying.

For up to three years, DRM will work with schools in England and supply training interventions and resources which ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to tackle and prevent bullying to create inclusive school cultures.

This will be anchored in training about diversity and the protected characteristics and underpinned by reviewing and updating internal policies and processes and implementing them so all school stakeholders can understand them and are able to act on bullying.

Classroom multimedia resources will also be available to teaching staff for use with students, featuring personal lived experience stories to embed continued values of empathy and inclusion.

There are a number of ways to volunteer:

• Role model - train to be one of our role models and share your story in schools to help young people gain understanding and empathy of what it's like to be LGBT+ or why it's important to be an ally.
• Facilitator - train to run our sessions in schools with students, staff, governors and/or parents/carers.
• Fundraising/events - support us by helping with our calendar of fundraising events, whether that's shaking a bucket around Soho one evening or helping to staff an event.
• Administrative support - help us administratively, whether in the office or remotely. This can be a great way to gain skills and experience of day-to-day life in a small charity.
• Professional skills - support our strategic growth by volunteering your time and professional skills on short or long-term projects.