School Diversity Week: Just Like Us makes all LGBT+ inclusion programmes free

Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, has marked School Diversity Week 2025 by making all of its programmes free for schools, amid increasing financial pressures. 

Just Like Us’ resource library already provides free educational LGBT+ resources for all subjects and Key Stages, from EYFS to KS5. In 2024, the charity made its Pride Groups Programme free to all secondary schools across the UK. 

Now, Just Like Us school talks will also be free to all UK secondary schools. Just Like Us’ school talks are delivered across the UK by trained LGBT+ volunteers. They’re all aged 18 to 25 and share their own lived experiences, providing authentic and relatable LGBT+ representation using the power of storytelling. 

The announcement comes at the beginning of School Diversity Week, the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality, which this year takes place from 23 to 27 June in primary and secondary schools across the country.

“It’s fantastic that the Just Like Us talks are now free as it makes it so much more accessible to schools which are having to reduce their extracurricular budgets. It’s wonderful that every student is now able to attend.”

— Emily Proudlock, a secondary school teacher in County Durham

Laura Mackay, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, said: “As primary and secondary schools across the UK celebrate LGBT+ inclusion for School Diversity Week, we are thrilled to announce that all of our school programmes are now free, making LGBT+ inclusive education more accessible than ever.

“We know that educators want to make sure all of their pupils feel seen, heard and represented, and with the intense pressures on school budgets, we must ensure LGBT+ inclusion is accessible across the UK education sector. LGBT+ young people still face significant barriers at school, at home and in the wider world, but each school that celebrates and prioritises LGBT+ inclusion shows them that they are valued and safe.

“Research has shown that LGBT+ inclusion improves the wellbeing of all pupils, whether or not they are LGBT+, and so I would like to thank all schools celebrating School Diversity Week this week and prioritising this work all year round.” 

School Diversity Week is sponsored by Bett Global, the world’s biggest celebration of education.