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# "I have a reason to come to school now": LGBTQ+ young people's charity Just Like Us shortlisted for education award recognising impact of LGBTQ+ school clubs
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/lkjust-like-us-shortlisted-for-education-award-recognising-impact-of-lgbt-school-clubs/
- Published: 2026-09-02T15:58:01.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-02T15:58:01.000Z
- Author: Graham Robson
- Tags: News

LGBTQ+ young people's charity **Just Like Us** has been shortlisted for a national education award in recognition of the positive impact its **Pride Groups programme** is having on pupils' health and wellbeing.

The charity has been named a finalist in the **Health and Wellbeing category** at the **Teach Secondary Awards**, part of the wider **TeachCo Awards**, which celebrate outstanding educational resources across schools and early years settings.

The shortlisted resource was developed in partnership with LGBTQ+ young adult author **Anna Zoe Quirke** and forms part of Just Like Us' Pride Groups programme, a nationwide network of clubs for LGBTQ+ pupils and allies that now operates in one in four UK secondary schools.

The resource centred on a creative writing competition inviting pupils to explore how they practise self-care. Entries were judged by Quirke, author of *Sad Girl Hours*, who later took part in an exclusive question-and-answer session with participating students.

Just Like Us said the project not only encouraged pupils to reflect on wellbeing, but also provided valuable LGBTQ+ representation by allowing young people to engage directly with a successful queer author.

The charity says Pride Groups can play a significant role in supporting young people's mental health and sense of belonging.

One pupil described their school's Pride Group as something that "lifted my spirits when I was in a dark time and gave me a sense of community", while another said: "I have a reason to come to school on Thursdays now."

According to Just Like Us, 96% of teachers involved in the programme say Pride Groups have improved young people's wellbeing.

**Laura Mackay**, chief executive of Just Like Us, welcomed the award recognition. "We are immensely proud that our Pride Groups resources have been shortlisted for a Teach Secondary award in the Health and Wellbeing category," she said.

"This affirms what the young people we work with tell us every day: LGBTQ+ inclusive education is vital for pupils' wellbeing and ability to fully participate in education.

"Growing up LGBTQ+ is still unacceptably tough, with LGBTQ+ school pupils twice as likely to be bullied as their peers, and more than half feeling isolated every day. But safe spaces like our Pride Groups can make a huge difference, improving pupil wellbeing, creating a sense of belonging, increasing school attendance, and showing young people that who they are is something to be celebrated."

Quirke, who previously worked in education, said they were delighted to be involved in the project. "As an educator who has used plenty of Just Like Us's resources in the past, it was such an honour to know that students across the country would be creating work based on one of my stories," they said.

"I've seen first-hand the impact Pride Groups have, creating spaces for young people who may not feel safe enough elsewhere to fully express and articulate who they are, or even to begin to figure out who they may be among a group of supportive peers."

Quirke added that support from organisations such as Just Like Us could have made a significant difference during their own time at school as a closeted queer young person.

"Just Like Us was formed the year I left high school and I know that my experiences in education would have been very different had staff at my school had access to the resources that I now have today through organisations like Just Like Us," they said.

The charity's own research has found that LGBTQ+ young people growing up in non-inclusive school and home environments are less likely to feel confident about their future careers and are four times more likely to feel ashamed of being LGBT+.

Just Like Us said the award nomination highlights the growing recognition of LGBTQ+ inclusive education as an important factor in improving young people's wellbeing, confidence and educational outcomes.