Provide ongoing professional development about rainbow competence for all staff to ensure that they remain up to date.
Knowledge in this area is constantly evolving. Ask staff members what they would like to learn more about and connect with local rainbow groups or experts to share relevant resources or find opportunities for education.
Make sure you equip staff with the tools they need to feel confident and comfortable working with rainbow people. This includes increasing skills, e.g listening, and learning about particular topics, e.g transphobia, but it also means encouraging staff to discuss challenges or questions they have during supervision, and ensuring that staff feel supported in a long term way.
Who offers supervision in your organisation? Do those people have access to professional development and demonstrate their rainbow competence as managers or supervisors? If a staff member is in a supervisory role and is going to be asked questions about rainbow best practice, it is crucial that they feel equipped to respond confidently and comfortably, whether they know the answer or not. If it is not a question they can answer, they need to know where they can access further information, or find the relevant resources.
It is also possible that staff members may request external supervision with someone who is an expert in the field. Providing access to high quality supervision (internal or external) for staff undertaking rainbow work is extremely beneficial for them, for the organisation, and for the rainbow people using your service.
Take Action
Keep up-to-date with information, research and resources related to the wellbeing of rainbow people. Our learn more section is a great place to start.
Check out our free webinar recordings, and share any that are relevant to your team.
Evaluate the rainbow professional development that is being provided to staff and ask them if there are areas they would like further education to focus on.
Encourage and support staff members to raise issues related to their work with rainbow people during supervision.
Ensure everyone in management or supervisor roles has training and support to give appropriate guidance to staff working with rainbow people.