We asked for nominations for our Community Group Award, and as ever, our readers delivered. The winner of the award, though, is Diversity Role Models. Founder by former teacher Suran Dixon, Diversity Role Models works in primary and secondary school to dispel myths about LGBT people, and fights the prejudice that makes so many kids’ school lives unbearable, even in 2012.

Diversity Role Models adopts a straightforward approach, answering questions that children might have about LGBT people.

‘In secondary schools, we’ll discuss stereotypes relating to gender and LGBT people’, Suran tells us. ‘Our role models will tell a story, about their coming out, or their family. Then the kids will have a Q&A, and we do our best to answer these questions. It’s all very honest. We try to show kids that we might have a label, as LGBT people, but we’re no different to them. With primary kids, it’s more bespoke. I’m adopted, so we might talk about that, and maybe about kids who have two dads, and what a family looks like. We don’t talk about sex. It’s not about that. It’s about difference and identity.’

For their great work, we’re pleased to award our Community Group Award to Diversity Role Models.

Diversityrolemodels.org