WE Project in a nutshell
What is WE PROJECT?
The WE PROJECT is a European research project addressing the experiences of young LGBT+Q+ people in the workplace at the beginning of their careers. The WE PROJECT (“Promoting Work-Based Equality for LGBT+Q+ Youth”) has 3 main goals:
- Empowering young LGBT+Q+ workers
- Helping professionals who work with young LGBT+Q+ workers (e.g., teachers, psychologists, worker council members)
- Targeting policy-makers and political and social stakeholders
At the end of the project in 2022 an interactive toolkit will be created online to facilitate the exchange of the good practices aiming at the elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at the workplace.
Who is WE PROJECT?
The Consortium is coordinated by the Medical University of Vienna and includes academic institutions and non- governmental organizations active in the field of human rights and diversity including: Polibienestar University of Valencia (Spain), Forum for Freedom of Education (Croatia), Association Against AIDS – JAZAS (Serbia), Anglia Ruskin University (UK), SORA-Institute (Austria) and Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia).
Why WE PROJECT?
Little is known about specific actions taken to ensure the transition of young LGBT+Q+ people from the education system into the labour force. Furthermore, research shows that the discrimination of LGBT+Q+ people in work contexts remains a reality all throughout Europe (FRA (2020): „EU LGBT II Survey: A long way to go for LGBTI equality“):
- One in four (26 %) hide being LGBT+Q+ at work.
- Two in 10 (21 %) felt discriminated against at work and one in 10 (10%) when looking for work within the last 12 months.
- The majority of LGBT+Q+ respondents aged 15-17 have experienced discrimination in some area of life (53 %).
Many young people who experienced discrimination are unaware of how to file a formal complaint which leads to them internalizing their experiences and trying to cope with it independently instead of reporting it. This leads to discrimination in the workplace often remaining a secret.
