About the JOIN Project
In 2023, FOTJA was awarded funding to explore how LGBTQIA+ venues and organisations (like us!) can provide better routes into volunteering, training, employment and other opportunities for people facing homelessness and/ or insecure immigration status.
As part of this research, we have asked a much wider question: what really makes community spaces inclusive?
Over the course of 2024, we worked closely with community partners to help answer these questions. We ran creative workshops, peer interviewing trainings, comment card boxes and surveys, receiving contributions from over 100 people across our diverse communities.
Looking ahead, we hope to continue this work, building on our findings so far – which we have made into resources for all members of the wider LGBQIA+ community:
An interactive Community Toolkit exploring how we can make queer spaces more inclusive, rewarding and just – especially but not only for people facing intersecting marginalisations
A Podcast series featuring JOIN project contributors explaining how homelessness and insecure immigration status – and the stigmas attached to both – can create painful barriers to queer space… and what we can do to bring those barriers down!
JOIN us for the launch of these resources in January 2025!
The JOIN Project was lead by Siobhán McGuirk with support from the FOTJA Management Committee and 100+ experts who contributed their guidance, wisdom and ideas to the project
It was supported by City Bridge Trust, the funding arm of the City of London Corporation’s charity, Bridge House Estates (1035628)
Our community partners were African Rainbow Family, Micro Rainbow, Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons’ Trust, The Outside Project and Revoke
Illustrations are by Boe La (@boestudio.s)
See the Community Toolkit for full project credits