Hi friends.  

Transgender Europe is looking for a few young (at least in heart) trans people to take a leading role in activism in their own country. Are you fed up with a lack of support from your government?  Fed up with missing or old-fashioned legislation?  Are you tired of being forced to live in the closet?  Or of living a dog’s life?  Forced out of work?  Living a life on the street because you dare to be who you are?  Yes?  Maybe it is time to take action, and we want to help you.
Transgender Europe (TGEU) www.tgeu.org, with the support of the UK’s extremely successful activist organisation, Press for Change (PFC) www.pfc.org.uk  and the International Lesbian and Gay Association of Europe (ILGA-Europe) www.ilga-europe.org , is now taking applications for a training project aimed at giving new activists the tools and support they need to get out and work change in their communities.
National teams, comprised of three activist candidates are invited to submit applications for the project.  Just four (4) of these teams will be successful and asked to take part in the project at no cost to themselves.

The project has two parts:

1. You will be required to attend a four day training course in Manchester, UK, from Wednesday, October 1st, to Sunday, October 5th, 2008.  There  you will attend workshops and receive some formal training in, amongst other
things, the following areas:

  • How to work with local and national governments as well as the European Union
  • The impact of European Union law, cases and directives  on trans lives
  • The trans cases from the  European Court of Human Rights
  • Facts and figures: key research data on trans lives
  • Practical activism: developing a public relations approach
  • Recruiting other activists and developing their skills
  • Strategic planning for successful change
  • Design with impact: posters and leaflets for key issues

Working within the international LGBTI community.

2. The activists will then, with the help of TGEU, organise a local training to take place not later than the end of 2008.  The training from Manchester will be put to use at a national or regional event of one or two days duration, where an audience of potential trans activists will receive instruction to facilitate regional structures.  We envision that the support we provide will enable you to prepare basic materials in your national language, to find an appropriate site for quality training and workshops, to make reservations for TGEU and PFC workshop leaders, to find and engage national NGO or government speakers.  We will assist your team in creating publicity and locating the intended audience.  Furthermore we will assist in the long term development of transgender organisations. Your travel and accommodation costs will be met by TGEU.  Training and activities are also free.  We demand only your presence and unmitigated attention. You don’t have to pay a thing: you need only put your training to use through your own projects in your local community.

So, if you think you and your fellow activists are up to it, come join the party.  It will be well worth your time — and may well be fun!
For these reasons we require that TEAMS OF THREE activists submit their applications together.  Successful candidates will be selected by showing us evidence of their past activism, how well they know each other and the work they’ve done together before. The teams will need to show a reasonable level of English language – it will really help to speak some English, but teams can translate for members who can’t speak English.