Shaun Dellenty
Having previously worked as a civil servant and professional actor, Dellenty started working at Alfred Salter Primary School in Southwark London in 2001, having qualified as a teacher in 1995.
Campaign on homophobic bullying
In 2010, shocked by levels of homophobic bullying, language and the pejorative use of the word 'gay' in local schools and the local community Dellenty 'came out' to the education community in an attempt to serve as a positive teaching LGBT role model.
Dellenty went on to devise an ongoing child centred whole school strategy (Inclusion For All) in order to tackle homophobic and LGBT based bullying and to shift school culture and ethos to prevent prejudice and discrimination arising in the first place. Following success in reducing homophobia in his own school and an OFSTED 'outstanding' rating for the work, Dellenty offered training to local authorities and other schools.
On May 17th 2012 www.shaundellenty.co.uk was launched, a website dedicated to Dellenty's anti-homophobic bullying work which also recounted his own experiences of being seriously homophobically bullied at school. The website featured interviews with teachers who had undertaken Inclusion For All work, in addition to sharing resources aimed at supporting other education professionals.
In 2012 Alfred Salter Primary school became the first primary school in the UK to offer regular training days and outreach to help other educators prevent LGBT based bullying. Dellenty runs one training day per term at the school in addition to doing outreach work.
Dellenty went on to support other educational professionals, school governors, local authorities, teacher training establishments, police and health workers, human rights and anti-bullying organisations in preventing homophobic/LGBT related bullying and language.
Social media enabled Dellenty to reach a global audience with his Inclusion For All work and he continues to be a regular speaker at conferences, anti-bullying/Pride events and in schools and teacher training establishments across the UK. In 2012 he spoke at the Hate Crime Vigil in Trafalgar Square, London. Dellenty blogs for the Huffington Post, The Guardian Teacher Network and Gay Star News. He has also written many articles on the subject of homophobic bullying for teacher magazines and journals, including Teach Primary, LDR Magazine and Headteacher Update.
In 2012 Dellenty worked with EV Crowe and the cast and production team of the play 'Hero' at the Royal Court Theatre, which was in part inspired by observations undertaken by the 'Hero' cast and production team of Dellenty working with pupils in school.
Dellenty has recorded a number of online video messages, including one as part of the 'It Gets Better' Project and another for the 'Proud2be' campaign.
Awards and recognition
Shaun Dellenty was ranked 77 in the Independent on Sunday Pink List 2012.
In 2013 Dellenty was nominated for the Royal Air force 'Inspirational LGBT Role Model' at the 2013 g3/Out In The City Awards. In 2013 IFA and Alfred Salter Primary School were awarded the 'Southwark Good Practice Award' for their anti-homophobia work. IFA were nominated 'LGBT Community Group' at the 2013 National Diversity Awards and Dellenty as 'Inspirational LGBT Role Model'
External links
- In May 2013 www.shaundellenty.com became www.inclusionforall.co.uk
- @ShaunDellenty
- http://www.inclusionforall.co.uk Inclusion For All website
- https://www.facebook.com/shaundellentyIFA Facebook page
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=]
