TRPI- The Rainbow Project NI
The Rainbow Project is a health organisation that works to improve the physical, mental & emotional health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people in Northern Ireland.
They are the foremost LGB&T organisation in Northern Ireland and have two centres: one in Belfast city centre and the other in Foyle, L’Derry.
The Rainbow Project is devoted to promoting the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people and their families in Northern Ireland, as well as those questioning their orientation or gender, through partnership, advocacy and the development and delivery of appropriate support services.
The Rainbow Project's key values:
Gay Affirmative:
The Rainbow Project values all sexual orientations and believes that no one sexual orientation is better or worse than any other. We believe that all sexual orientations should be celebrated equally and that no person should face prejudice or inequality based on their sexual orientation.
Sex Positive:
The Rainbow Project values sex, and sexuality, as an important part of who we all are. We believe that understanding our sexuality and promoting openness in our relationships leads to better sex lives, better health and well-being and better relationships.
Gender Aware:
The Rainbow Project values the diverse representations of gender within our society. We believe that people should not have to fit in with the gender roles assigned to us by society and we actively encourage free presentation of gender as a representation of our uniqueness.
Evidence led:
The Rainbow Project values the opinions and experiences of our community and society. We ensure that all our work aimed at addressing the inequalities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people is clearly evidence led and in response to the needs of our community.
Rights based:
At its core, The Rainbow Project values the individual human rights of all within society. We believe that to ensure the rights of one you must ensure the rights of all and consequently, our work is carried out from a rights based perspective.
Holistic:
The Rainbow Project values a holistic approach to addressing the inequalities faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people. Our work is led by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account the impact of social factors, rather than just the individual’s physical or mental health.
Innovative:
The Rainbow Project values new and innovative approaches to addressing the inequalities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people.
Expert:
The Rainbow Project values itself as the leading expert on LGB&T issues in Northern Ireland. Through continual study, research and consultation we work to increase our knowledge around issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity and provide expert services to LGB&T people and those working with this group.
Volunteer led:
The Rainbow Project values the individual contributions made by each of our volunteers and recognises the key role of volunteers in developing and delivering the strategic aims of the organisation.
We support TRPNI throughout the year running various fundraisers to support them, such as limited edition releases.
In particular we have been fundraising for their Trans Swimming initiative. The Rainbow Project has been running Trans Only Swimming sessions to eliminate some of the fears and barriers trans, non-binary and intersex people face going swimming. TRPNI book out the entire swimming pool and changing rooms to ensure the privacy and comfort of all their participants. This allows participants to wear what they comfortable in, around people that have the same insecurities as them, without fear of staring or harassment.
