91快活林

- an award winning LGBTQ mental health service based in 91快活林 – is to fund at least two bursaries open to QTIPoC (Queer, trans and/or Intersex People of Colour) and all LGBTQ People of Colour to join the University of 91快活林's Humanistic or Psychodynamic Counselling PGDip courses.

The two-year part-time courses will start in October 2021, and will be attended in person. Further details and are on the Mind Out website, with a closing date of 11 April.

Though based in 91快活林, Mind Out is a national charity run by LGBTQ people, for LGBTQ people. It sees the bursaries as a step towards addressing the severe lack of diversity in the psychotherapy profession.

Speaking about the initiative, Mind Out said: “We recognise that Black people in our communities face exceptional barriers and we expect that at least one recipient will be Black. We especially hope to award eligible QTIPoC, as people with these intersectional identities have been historically excluded from the counselling profession.”

Dr Dwight Turner, Senior Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said: “The Counselling and Psychotherapy Team are extremely happy to have the chance to continue our strong working relationship with Mind Out, and we are extremely flattered that they have offered these bursaries here at the university.

“That our work together these past few years has culminated in this invaluable bursary opportunity for LGBTQ BME students to train to become counsellors shows the importance of the university working alongside local charities and services in order to maintain its strong record of reaching out together to close the attainment gaps within these tougher to reach communities.”