TELUS Friendly Future Foundation’s Post

Trigger topic: Suicide While significant progress has been made in mental health support and suicide prevention, there remains a stigma around suicide. This can be due to a lack of understanding of the complexity of suicide, based on negative beliefs or attitudes and can lead to a person feeling embarrassed, misunderstood or even marginalised. So what can we do to help breakdown the stigma, so people can get the support they need?? Raise your voice - Talk with people who is in a place where they are ready to share their lived experience. Tackling the stigma and busting the myths around suicide is a part we can all play. Examine your thought processes and understanding - Are they right? Could you be more sensitive and non-judgmental? Your words matter - Use safe and inclusive language to avoid alienating anyone. For example, instead of using “committed suicide”, you can say, “took their own life” or “died by suicide”. When talking about my mother passing, I personally say passed away by suicide. We can help to save lives by being open, sharing our experiences and encouraging people to ask questions and welcoming that conversation. It's important to me to share my experience with others. For each conversation where I am open, honest and raw, I hopefully lift the stigma one person at a time and my hope is they go on and share the conversation. And if we can all do this one form or another, the causality effect will hopefully reduce the stigma. In the words of my colleague Angus Pringle: We can’t prevent suicide if we don’t know how to talk about suicide. So let’s talk…

June is Pride month, when we celebrate the history, resilience, and achievements of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. It's also about learning to accept others for who they are, not based on sex or gender or sexual preference. It's about creating a world where no one feels that death is a better alternative than the reality they are currently living in. For employers, celebrating the diversity of your employees is so important; if you are looking for ideas, here are a few: 💡 Raise funds/ donate to 2SLGBTQ+ charitable organizations 💡 Implement/ update your DEI training 💡 Purposefully seek out and support 2SLGBTQ+ owned businesses 💡 Create / enhance a 2SLGBTQ+ employee resource group 💡 Review all your policies, procedures, and other communications to ensure they use inclusive language 💡 Decorate / hand out PRIDE flags, buttons, or other swag #pridemonth #inclusivity #pride

✨ Support Sparkle: A Call to Action for True Allyship ✨ Hello LinkedIn, I’m reaching out with an important message about Sparkle, a trans charity based in Manchester that has been a pillar of support for the trans community for years. Unfortunately, they’ve recently faced a significant funding shortfall, jeopardising their essential work and the future of their upcoming event. Sparkle’s annual event is more than just a celebration; it’s a vital space for the trans community to come together, share experiences, and build a more inclusive society. The charity’s impact extends beyond the event, offering ongoing support, resources, and a sense of belonging to countless individuals. Now, more than ever, Sparkle needs our help. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate true allyship—beyond performative gestures, we can make a real difference. Here’s how you can contribute: 1️⃣ Donate: Any amount can help bridge the funding gap. Your contributions will directly support Sparkle’s efforts and ensure their vital work continues. https://lnkd.in/e9BWe9rx 2️⃣ Amplify: Use your voice to spread the word. Share this message with your network and encourage others to support this crucial cause. 3️⃣ Engage: Offer your time, skills, or resources. Whether it’s through volunteering or providing in-kind support, your involvement can make a substantial impact. Supporting Sparkle means more than just backing a charity; it’s about standing in solidarity with the trans community and committing to real, impactful change. Let’s step up as allies and ensure that Sparkle continues to shine brightly, fostering inclusivity and acceptance for years to come. Please consider donating, sharing this message, and finding ways to get involved. Together, we can make a meaningful difference. #SupportSparkle #TrueAllyship #TransRightsAreHumanRights #Inclusivity #CommunitySupport #LGBTQIA #Charity #DonateNow #MakeADifference

It's the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia  - and I wasn't going to post today. But here's why I changed my mind: The rise of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate and hateful rhetoric is jeopardizing the equality, safety and rights of queer people around the world. And I'm not going to stand by and watch while far-right groups and opportunistic politicians are scapegoating 2SLGBTQ+ people for political gain. If you're with me, here's what you can do to help: 1. Make a donation to an organization like one of my favourite clients, Rainbow Railroad - a global not-for-profit that helps at-risk LGBTQI+ people get to safety worldwide. 2. Urge governments and elected officials at every level to take action - if you're based in Canada, you can join the Rainbow Week of Action (they make it SO easy): https://lnkd.in/gEUXCzbA Are you aware of a similar initiative in your country, or a grassroots organization working for change in your community? Drop a comment below, and spread the word! #IDAHOBIT #fundraising #nonprofit #RainbowWeekOfAction

Wowzer! So excited about what this means for the orgs that snagged the last Funding Roadmap and Diagnostic spots at last year's investment rate! - An LGBTQ+ youth services non-profit in California - An education NGO in Central America - An NGO strengthening the capacity of grassroots organizations in East Africa Over the next 6 weeks, these organizations will get a clear strategy to raise the funds they need, a clear path forward, and guidance to begin the strategy today. New Funding Diagnostic & Roadmap spots open May 15— let me know if you want one. #NonprofitConsulting #NonprofitFundraising #FundraisingStrategy

Did you know food insecurity disproportionately impacts the 2SLGBTQ+ community, especially in Oklahoma? Many 2SLGBTQ+ individuals experience unjust challenges, such as disproportionate rates of poverty, discrimination, and restricted access to resources. Here are a few ways we can make a difference: 1️⃣ Support local 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in Oklahoma that work towards ending food insecurity. They provide resources like food pantries and meal programs. 2️⃣ Donate non-perishable food items, toiletries, or funds to 2SLGBTQ+ community centers or shelters in your area. 3️⃣ Educate yourself and others about the inequities that the 2SLGBTQ+ community experiences in Oklahoma and across the country. By understanding the challenges, we can better advocate for more inclusive policies. Every small act of kindness and support makes a difference. Let’s work to create a world where everyone has equitable access to food and an opportunity to thrive. #FoodInsecurity #Equality #EndHungerInOK #Allyship #2SLGBTQ

Engaging LGBT+ people in your fundraising. Could you be doing more? Our very own Amy Nield has written an article for The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation & Inspiration (SOFII) about exactly that. They explore the findings of our exclusive report on what charities can do to better inspire this generous – and growing – supporter base. Check out the article, and read our new report, through the link in the comments ⬇️ #charity #fundraising

Day Four is Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa)- Support for one another can take us so far in life and our pursuit of societally and socially enhancing progressive change. Mutual aid is a type of support. Fostering a sense of community belonging is a type of support. Raising awareness is a type of support. With support we can be the determinants of more than just ourselves, we can become determinants in our communities by maintaining Collective Work as part of our Responsibility. Your prompt for today (should you choose to accept it) is this: What action can you take to further develop the collectives economic influence? Boost a small business owner that’s Melanated, Queer, Disabled, Trans and any combination of oppressed identities. Share some vetted donation links. #KwanzaaButMakeItTherapeutic #IliUwezeKufanikiwa

When carrying out our final year of The University of Brighton, one of the last modules that we completed was named under ‘Developing Professional Practices in Business’. We were asked to create a service/product development plan for Switchboard Brighton to increase donations for the charity. There is no specific aim for audience in terms of targeted age group, just to overall raise more money. However, participants were found that there was lack of awareness of the LGBTQ community in the older generation. You may have come to terms with the fact that raising funds for a charity-based community is not particularly easy. Therefore, this resulted in Adrian Jenkins and Paul Hook who work for Switchboard Brighton to assist us along this journey to reach the attended goal. Both Adrian, Paul, and the university of Brighton helped us to have first-hand engagement within the company, allowing us to gain more knowledge of the company by having and insight into inside views. Liam Povey, Charlie Davies, Yu- Cheng Yu, Guillaume Lacaze and I identified the main cause for the reasoning of lack of funding and took it upon us to meet the criteria addressed. Below this post, we have attached an infographic poster which displays the final outcomes and estimates going forward with Switchboard Brighton. -35% of Donations throughout the Calendar year are estimated to be £0-£10. -30% of Donations are expected to be £11-£30. -20% are expected to be from £30-£49. -The smallest amount being 15% is expected to be between £50-£75. Disclaimer: This data is our group findings, not Switchboard Brighton’s findings. This project was a pleasure to work on, and everyone was a pleasure to work with! It has helped us to create outstanding relationships with clients of Switchboard Brighton, and participants!

When carrying out our final year of The University of Brighton, one of the last modules that we completed was named under ‘Developing Professional Practices in Business’. We were asked to create a service/product development plan for Switchboard Brighton to increase donations for the charity. There is no specific aim for audience in terms of targeted age group, just to overall raise more money. However, participants were found that there was lack of awareness of the LGBTQ community in the older generation. You may have come to terms with the fact that raising funds for a charity-based community is not particularly easy.  Therefore, this resulted in Adrian Jenkins and Paul Hook who work for Switchboard Brighton to assist us along this journey to reach the attended goal. Both Adrian, Paul, and the university of Brighton helped us to have first-hand engagement within the company, allowing us to gain more knowledge of the company by having and insight into inside views. Liam Povey, Charlie Davies, Yu- Cheng Yu, Guillaume Lacaze and I identified the main cause for the reasoning of lack of funding and took it upon us to meet the criteria addressed. Below this post, we have attached an infographic poster which displays the final outcomes and estimates going forward with Switchboard Brighton. -35% of Donations throughout the Calendar year are estimated to be £0-£10. -30% of Donations are expected to be £11-£30. -20% are expected to be from £30-£49. -The smallest amount being 15% is expected to be between £50-£75. Disclaimer: This data is our group findings, not Switchboard Brighton’s findings This project was a pleasure to work on, and everyone was a pleasure to work with! It has helped us to create outstanding relationships with clients of Switchboard Brighton, and participants!