LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales: progress update 2024 to 2025

The LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales was published on 7 February 2023. It is the framework for LGBTQ+ policy development across government and with our partners. It sets out the concrete steps we will take to strengthen equality for LGBTQ+ people, to challenge discrimination, and to create a society where LGBTQ+ people are safe to live and love authentically, openly and freely as themselves. 

The 46 actions within the plan cover a great many areas of policy, and each action has a person, the “action owner” who takes responsibility for the implementation of the action.

The Internal Governance Group was set up, consisting of all those Deputy Directors who have policy responsibility for one or more of the action owners.

In addition, we have an LGBTQ+ Advisory Group, consisting of external stakeholders who hold an interest in the outcome of the plan, whether by lived experience or responsibility for delivering actions.

The LGBTQ+ and Gender Policy team is responsible for supporting both groups, and for producing this report on progress in advance of meetings of the Internal Governance Group.

Following a competitive tender, The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has been appointed to carry out an evaluation of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan

This evaluation will look at some important areas of the Action Plan to measure progress against the outcomes detailed in the Plan through a mixed method approach.

The evaluation will look at the impact of the Plan in 3 ways:

1. Awareness of the Plan in delivery partners, both in Welsh Government and our external partners.
2. Monitoring the Plan, looking at the tracking of progress and where there are evidence gaps.
3. Improving the Plan, looking at how to fill evidence gaps and make the greatest positive impact for LGBTQ+ people.

The evaluation will be delivered by a mixture of online surveys, focus groups and individual interviews.

The LGBTQ+ Policy Team have worked with our Evidence and Support Division and NatCen to look at areas of priority for the evaluation to focus on. Considerations on those areas have included whether the Welsh Government has control or influence over outcomes, stakeholder feedback on their priorities and the measurability of outcomes.

Note: This report contains updates against those actions where there has been substantive progress against delivery in the first half of the financial year 2024 to 2025.

Action 8a

Consider how to adopt an inclusive approach to procurement which reduces and removes real and perceived barriers to diverse suppliers bidding for Welsh Government contracts.

As part of our preparations for the implementation of the Procurement Act, Welsh Government’s internal procurement processes were updated to bring them in line with the requirements of the Act.

Action 8b

Explore how to set meaningful short, medium, and long-term targets to increase the diversity of Welsh Government’s supply chains. As a first step, we will analyse Welsh Government’s supply chains to determine the current level of supplier diversity.

A significant project has been undertaken to map Welsh supply chains in relation to products that are critical to the Welsh economy. A new platform has been developed which aims to increase visibility across the supply chain and provides a range of information (from Companies House and other third-party sources) around sector, employment, financials etc. Unfortunately, there is no specific diversity data available.

Similarly, whilst work to upgrade our systems to meet the new transparency requirements under the Procurement Act will facilitate deeper analysis of richer, more accurate and more reliable procurement-related data, it is currently unable to provide greater insight into the level of supplier diversity within Welsh Government’s supply base.

The new Procurement Act introduces a level playing field for all suppliers to compete for public contracts.

Action 8c

Project our values of Wales as an LGBTQ+ friendly nation, through diplomatic engagement and our overseas network, including with countries that do not necessarily share these views.

Many overseas colleagues take part in annual Pride Weeks with FCDO and other Foreign Diplomatic Missions who often organise street carnival events, film showings and other such events during Pride Week.
Various offices will raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan, including the ambition to become Europe’s most LGBTQ+ nation, in conversations with partners internationally and in presentations/speeches to show WG’s dedication to promoting human rights, diversity, and inclusion.

Welsh panel session secured in a literature festival in Galway.

One of the panellists is from the LGBTQ+ community. The panel is promoting the writing and new magazine called Folding Rock but also shows Wales as a diverse country to international audience through a diverse panel. This fits the Culture priority of the shared statement and wider international goal of raising Wales’ profile.

Action 8e

Raise the importance of LGBTQ+ rights where we engage internationally and work with other nations or intergovernmental organisations to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people across the world.

In July 2025, the Welsh Government France Team attended the EuroGames in Lyon, using the Partners Reception to promote the LGBTQ+ Action Plan and engage with European organisations and regions. At the event, WG France and Pride Sports Cymru received the EuroGames baton, marking Cardiff as the 2027 host. We continue to support Pride Sports Cymru by connecting them with regional partners to ensure strong French participation in EuroGames Cardiff 2027.

Around St David’s Day, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care held a roundtable with LGBTQ+ activists from the Mumbai region as well as with local diplomats.

Supported an ‘Empowering Voices’ project that includes Wales, Ireland and Scotland involving an LGBTQ+ charity from each nation, the lead is Belong to LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland, but the Welsh participant organisation is Viva LGBT Youth Cymru. This links to the communities and culture priorities of the shared statement and youth engagement. Now that the residential element of this collaboration has completed, alongside partners, we are reviewing potential to hold an exhibition of the artwork created in the project in each nation.

Action 9a

Work with Policing in Wales to examine and improve procedures within the police and guidance for officers concerning hate crime.

As crime and justice is not devolved to the Welsh Government, we do not hold the primary levers to deliver this action. We rely on partnership working through the Hate and Community Tensions Board Cymru (HCTBC), which we convene. An example of the work the Board has done to improve police procedures was the co-production of the ‘Tackling Hate Crime: The Power of Victims Voices’ conference in November 2024.

The aim of the conference was to encourage tangible steps to improve the Policing response to hate crimes and the support available to all victims. The conference provided an insight into identity-based hate crime and other hate experiences for hate crime practitioners across Wales, informed by Wales Hate Support Centre research alongside input from its Lived Experience Advocacy Forum. Victim Support Cymru led a series of workshops with attendees and shared the findings with police forces.

We have recently widened the third sector representation on the HCTBC, with Galop becoming a member. 

Action 9b

Continue conversations concerning the classification of hate crime against LGBTQ+ people.

On 17 June 2025, Rachel Taylor MP tabled the following amendment (New Clause 122) to the Crime and Policing Bill:

Aggravated offences against people because of their sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.

The Member's explanatory statement said:

“This new clause would create statutory aggravated offences motivated by hostility towards an individual’s disability status, sexual orientation or transgender identity (or perception thereof). The new clause would also protect people who are victims of hate crime because of their association with individuals based on their disability status, sexual orientation or transgender identity (or perception thereof).”

During a debate in the Commons Chamber on 18 June 2025, Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention responded to the amendment:

“Moving on to new clause 122…the new clause would make all existing strands of hate crime an aggravated offence. Crimes targeted at disabled, LGBT+ and transgender people are disgraceful, and the shocking figures that she referenced, including the steep increase in hate crimes towards transgender people, cannot be tolerated. She knows that the Government support this change, as we set out in our manifesto last year. I can confirm to the House that in Committee in the Lords we will bring forward a suitable Government amendment to give effect to that commitment.”

The amendment would give effect to one of the main recommendations made in the Law Commission’s review of Hate Crime law in 2021. Welsh Ministers have repeatedly asked UK Government’s to implement the review recommendations and have included advocacy for this in the Welsh Government LGBTQ+ Action Plan.

Alongside this, the UK Government is introducing a new Clause to the Crime and Policing Bill which creates a new offence in relation to emergency workers. A number of offences under the Public Order Act 1986 have an exception where the offence (including any racially or religiously aggravated version of the offence) cannot occur in a private dwelling. The current legislation does not protect emergency workers who are subjected to racist or religious abuse, who are within homes not by choice, but for the purpose of performing their duty. 

The UK Government is introducing 2 new offences which relate to racially or religiously motivated threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour towards an emergency worker and behaviour likely to harass, alarm or distress an emergency worker. Anyone who commits an offence under the new clauses against emergency workers will be subject to the associated penalties if convicted.

Welsh Ministers have written to UK Government counterparts to show support for this change and confirm that a related Legislative Consent Memorandum will be required to be laid at the Welsh Parliament. Welsh Ministers also called on the UK Government to extend these changes to include the other 3 characteristics protected by hate crime legislation (sexual orientation, transgender identity and disability).

Action 9c

Gather evidence from LGBTQ+ communities of positive and negative experiences with reporting hate crime and understanding any barriers to reporting. Using this evidence, support the work of the Community Tension Board to feedback policing in Wales.

The Welsh Government funded Wales Hate Support Centre has established the Lived Experience Advocacy Forum (LEAF), made up of past service users and community members with lived experience of hate crime, to continually review and provide feedback on the service, as well as providing insight of their experiences of reporting hate crime and of the criminal justice system.

The Centre is represented on the Hate and Community Tensions Board and has a standing item on the agenda to update police representatives on reporting trends and flag any concerns raised by members of the LEAF group.

The LEAF group has previously helped to review the complaints procedure of the Wales Hate Support Centre and helped to complete a piece of work on barriers to reporting hate crime.

Action 12a

Broader actions to improve relationships: Improve the relationship of LGBTQ+ communities with Policing in Wales.

South Wales and Dyfed-Powys Police provided examples of work undertaken that included:

• LGBT+ Liaison Officers.
• LGBT+ Support Network that undertake work, for example in South Wales a survey is underway to obtain LGBTQ+ community feedback on police interactions and seek comments on opportunities for service improvements.
• Attend Community Tension Monitoring Groups which discuss Hate Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour. Partner agencies such as the NHS, County Councils, Universities and Victim Support also attend.
• Training for staff that includes Arrange Gender Identity Training for staff and officers. These included ‘First steps to LGBTQ+ Inclusion’ and ‘First steps to Trans Inclusion’.
• Training for all new staff members.
• Forces state they are awaiting a decision on Lindsey Smith, R (on the application of) v The Chief Constable of Northumbria Police [2025], to determine what this means for Police forces in relation to attending Pride events.

Action 12b

Facilitate discussions with LGBTQ+ disabled people and Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people to understand their experiences with police call handlers and other front-line staff.

• Police Forces conduct monthly Quality Assurance (QA) checks on a sample of calls received at the Force Communication Centre (FCC), primarily to ensure compliance with HMICFRS Victim Service Assessment (VSA) standards.
• These checks are randomly selected and do not consider protected characteristics, nor do they include outbound calls to assess public experience.
• South Wales Police have taken proactive steps to embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at the first point of contact. A dedicated Senior Management Team lead oversees EDI activity, supported by monthly meetings that explore all strands of EDI, including community and partnership engagement.

Policing in Wales are the external stakeholders responsible for delivering our actions. As this is a broad group, the best point of contact is the Police Liaison Unit. Email: plu@gov.wales with correspondence marked for Paul Morris, Head of the Unit.

Action 13a

Provide sustainable long-term funding for specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence services.

Welsh Government fund Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV) regions and specialist services to provide invaluable and lifesaving support to all victims of VAWDASV.  This includes early intervention, preventative and educational support, perpetrator intervention programmes, Independent Domestic Violence Advocates for high-risk victims as well as therapeutic recovery interventions for the ongoing support of those impacted by VAWDASV. This funding ensures that no matter where a victim lives in Wales, there is a strong public and specialist service ready to help. This is complemented by the VAWDASV Capital Grant Programme which supports capital projects relating to VAWDASV.  This includes funding to statutory and voluntary organisations across Wales. Funded organisations are expected to ensure their services are accessible for everyone, and considerate of intersectional experiences and needs to ensure that a person-centred approach to support is followed. Grant funding letters include wording that denotes:

“You must have in place and apply equality policies covering employment, use of volunteers and provision of services, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.”

The VAWDASV National Strategy, published in May 2022, will be delivered through a blueprint approach, which brings together devolved and non-devolved organisations, as well as strengthening the partnership between public private and specialist sectors. Part of the Blueprint will be a working group looking at a whole system approach to sustainable commissioning to ensure that there is a collaborative approach to commissioning VAWDASV services that reduces duplication and targets support and intervention where it is needed most.

This will ensure that, through collective action, we are able to respond to emerging issues. Intersectionality and equality underpin all policy development to ensure that decisions made regarding sustainable whole system approaches consider the needs of all potential victims and survivors in Wales, including the LGBTQ+ community.

The ’sustainable whole system approach’ workstream has currently undertaken extensive engagement, including a survey and workshops which will feed into revised statutory guidance for the delivery of VAWDASV services and provision across Wales.

Within the VAWDASV Blueprint, the Tackling Perpetration workstream developed a Wales wide survey in consultation with workstream members to better understand the scope of VAWDASV Perpetrator Services across Wales; this includes support services for LGBTQ+ communities who use harmful behaviours.

The results of the survey indicate that provisions for LGBTQ+ service users are not specific, most organisations state they accommodate services for LGBTQ+ individuals.  It remains unclear on the evidence need for targeted specific services for LGBTQ+ perpetrators of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Action 13b

Welsh Government Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence programme of work is delivered in a way that is inclusive of all LGBTQ+ people.

The Welsh Government’s national VAWDASV strategy comprises of 6 objectives. Objective 6 is to provide all victims with equal access to appropriately resourced, high quality, needs-led, strength-based, inter-sectional and responsive services across Wales.

Recognising there was no corporate framework to develop or deliver policy in an intersectional way, the VAWDASV Blueprint team have created an Intersectionality Toolkit, with the aim to embed an intersectional way of thinking, working and creating.

We know that the impact of VAWDASV is not uniform, affecting different people in different ways. The lived experience of VAWDASV is intrinsically linked to factors that relate to a wider range of equality characteristics. As a result of intersecting forms of discrimination and oppression, some groups of people experience different, more frequent or more severe violence and abuse, or face additional barriers to help-seeking. Crucially, the impact can be cumulative for people with more than one such characteristic (e.g. black women or LGBTQ+ children). An intersectional approach has therefore been vital throughout VAWDASV Blueprint progress to date, to help us develop our understanding of VAWDASV and address the diverse needs of all those affected, including children, older people, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, disabled people and LGBTQ+ communities. Each Blueprint workstream is taking these issues into consideration throughout their work, to ensure our outcomes promote equality consistently and comprehensively.

The National Training Framework (NTF) remains one of the most important mechanisms for delivering the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Act. Victims and survivors of VAWDASV will interact with a range of public services including housing and healthcare and it is important to establish proper pathways for support and to embed understanding of gender-based violence within all relevant authorities in Wales. As part of the NTF, an additional training suite is available through Stori Cymru to provide awareness training of wider VAWDASV topics and is available to all groups of the NTF.

During the 2024 to 2025 financial year, 645 professionals have received additional training, including 49 professionals who have attended learning regarding LGBTQ+ victims and survivors of VAWDASV.

Action 13c

Undertake further research to better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ disabled domestic abuse survivors and the barriers they face to reporting abuse, accessing support, and engaging in the criminal justice system.

The data landscape mapping exercise is underway. This project has mapped the predominantly quantitative data available and its relevance, usability and limitations, in addition to identifying gaps in the landscape. It is anticipated that specific demographics, including intersecting characteristics, will be considered as part of the exercise which may be of relevance to the LGBTQ+ action plan.

The Intersectionality framework has been developed to ensure that any work moving forwards as part of the VAWDASV Blueprint considers the needs and experiences of individuals who may need to access VAWDASV services in Wales.

Action 13e

All literature, messaging and awareness raising initiatives are made LGBTQ+ inclusive.

Our Live Fear Free campaigns demonstrate that both victims and perpetrators have diverse characteristics, and they may identify as male, female and non-binary, disabled and non-disabled, young and old, white, black and of any other minority ethnic heritage as well as from our LGBTQ+ community. You will see these groups represented in our materials supporting our campaigns on our social media channels and on our Live Fear Free campaigns.

The Older People’s Needs workstream is supporting with the development of a Live Fear Free campaign focused specifically on sexual violence affecting older people. This campaign will include imagery, messaging and case studies to ensure an inclusive approach to demonstrating that sexual violence can affect anyone.
 

Action 18a

Undertake a review of existing training for NHS Wales staff on inclusive healthcare practices, identifying and addressing any gaps.

A comprehensive review has been undertaken of the training available to NHS Wales staff, alongside a broader evaluation of statutory and mandatory training requirements across the workforce. As part of this, the mandatory ‘Treat Me Fairly’ module is currently being updated by subject matter experts to reflect evolving best practices in inclusive healthcare.

In addition, dedicated training modules have been developed to support care for gender-diverse and trans individuals, ensuring NHS Wales staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver respectful, person-centred care.

Action 18b

Work with partners including the NHS Wales Partnership Forum to understand the experience of LGBTQ+ staff in the NHS workplace. Take any appropriate action (including development of training) as a result.

The 2024 Staff Survey National Findings Report indicated that LGBTQ+ staff consistently reported poorer experiences compared to heterosexual colleagues, including:

• lower morale and engagement scores
• reduced confidence in speaking up
• higher rates of discrimination and abuse, particularly among transgender staff

Actions taken by NHS Wales organisations to improve trends identified in poor LGBTQ+ staff experience will be reported through the Strategic Equality Plan monitoring process.

The NHS Wales Equality Leads Group identify national actions as part of their programme of work.

Action 18c

Work with Social Care Wales to design, roll-out and evaluate the impact of specific training for staff in social care setting.

Work continues with Health and Social Care workforce branches and the Equality and Human Rights Division who are responsible for the LGBTQ+ Action Plan and commitments, to consider how a training package for the health and social care sector can be developed. There are concerns about the significant pressures these workforces are facing to manage the current training requirements. We are continuing to work across teams to consider alternative ways to support LGBTQ+ awareness across the sector such as resources, toolkits and guidance documents that could be integrated into existing workflows. We will continue to progress this work to achieve the commitment set within the plan, working with Social Care Wales also.

Action 18e

As part of inspection, Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) to consider the extent to which people receiving care and support, including LGBTQ+ individuals, are treated with respect and sensitivity, having regard to any relevant protected characteristics.

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) have published a joint strategy for equality, diversity and inclusion. The main objectives in this strategy are:

• strengthen the focus on equality and diversity in our work and where we find inequalities we will challenge and report on this. We will embed equality, diversity, and inclusion in our work, to drive improvements in the delivery of healthcare, social care and childcare services for people who share one or more of the protected characteristics
• improve our engagement with diverse communities, so they have a strong voice and influence in our work. We will increase our understanding of the experiences of people who share one or more of the protected characteristics to inform our decision making
• build our organisations so they are inclusive and representative. We will build a more diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We will support our workforce to flourish and thrive whatever their background in fair and inclusive workplaces. We will invest in developing the skills and knowledge of our staff and create learning cultures to enable us to evaluate and challenge our understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion

Specific actions which have been taken forward to implement this strategy include:

• EDI considerations have been embedding in inspection frameworks for care homes and domiciliary support and the local authority performance evaluation framework
• bespoke’ (TAYE) reflective sessions have been developed and delivered for all CIW staff about EDI to raise awareness of what EDI means to us and how important this is in our work
• EDI considerations have been included in the CIW registration process. For example, questions included in the care home for children location assessment encouraging providers to think about the diversity and inclusion issues children living in a certain location could experience. EDI considerations have also been included in statement of purpose template. The statement of purpose is an important document. It is required as part of registration and must be keep up to date by providers. It sets out the vision for the service and the provider’s aspirations for meeting the needs of the people they care for. It must clearly demonstrate providers fully understand their needs and demonstrate how, particularly through the levels and training of staff, the care routines, the environment and links to other agencies, providers will do their best to promote the best possible outcomes for the people they care for. By including EDI considerations specifically, this means providers must consider this at the planning stage for their service and on an ongoing basis
• EDI questions have been included in feedback surveys for people using services enabling CIW to gather better intelligence about the experiences of people with protected characteristics, including LGBTQ+ individuals
• positive practice examples around EDI have been published and shared to spotlight those providers that do well and encourage and inspire others to adopt these approaches

Work to be completed in the coming 6 months includes:

• development of inspector EDI guides including things to keep in mind when inspecting in relation to EDI
• engage with the Social Care Wales EDI expert reference group specifically to provide advice and challenge on EDI matters; first meeting in September 2025
• explore ways of improving our recruitment outreach work to encourage

Action 26

Provide national trans guidance for schools and local authorities.

Work is underway to engage with a wider range of parents to ensure their priorities are fully considered in the draft guidance. Officials are working to ensure the guidance is ready for a new Government in May 2026 and will be in a position to confirm that it is the result of comprehensive engagement and fully up to date with the latest legal position and the finalised Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)  Code of Practice.

Action 28

Design and implement a whole school approach that is fully LGBTQ+ inclusive.

The Welsh Government continues to monitor how best to support schools and settings with the mandatory requirements of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). Local authorities provide ongoing guidance and support, and the recently funded Cwtch Education Project will further help schools and settings understand and meet the legal and statutory requirements of RSE.

Adnodd leads the development and commissioning of bilingual, high-quality educational resources to support teaching and learning across the Curriculum for Wales.

The Rhyngom project, funded by the Welsh Government, has supported the publication of more bilingual books for young readers that reflect the culture, people, and history of Wales, while celebrating and promoting diversity. Resources will be available to schools and settings from autumn 2025 onwards.

Action 29a

Work with Medr to encourage universities to take account of issues of intersectionality, including sexual orientation and gender reassignment, when considering how they support their diverse staff and student populations.

During 2025 to 2026, Medr has provided funding to higher and further education providers to support staff and learner wellbeing and mental health. Medr expects higher and further education providers to take account of equality and intersectionality through the use of equality impact assessments, including the needs of LGBTQ+ students.

Medr is conducting an exercise to examine best practice in Wellbeing, Health and Mental Health across universities and colleges, which includes where initiatives work to best support individuals with a range of protected characteristics through an intersectional lens.

Medr’s Operational Plan for 2025 to 2026 sets out a commitment to work with the Welsh Government and tertiary education institutions to make progress towards ensuring inclusive learning and work environments for all, regardless of identity.

Action 29b

Work with universities and colleges in Wales to ensure their Strategic Equality Plans (SEP) set out how they will meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010 including as this relates to gender reassignment and sexual orientation.

Every college and university has a Strategic Equality Plan in place. Medr is conducting a review of university and college Strategic Equality Plans, taking account of providers’ duties under the Equality Act 2010, and actions put forward in the Welsh Government’s LGBTQ+ Action Plan as they relate to education.

Action 29c

Commission a thematic review of peer-on-peer sexual harassment in further education this year, which will include identification of issues around homophobic discrimination or bullying.

In May 2025, Estyn published its thematic review on behaviour with recommendations for colleges, the Welsh Government and Medr. It noted:

‘Learners from marginalised groups, including LGBTQ+ students, are disproportionately vulnerable to bullying and harassment, as their identities are sometimes negatively perceived by peers’. Medr is working with colleges to identify further support needed in 2025 to 2026 to tackle identity-based violence. Medr will continue to provide funding to colleges to deliver support to staff and learners related to harassment abuse and harassment in all its forms. The Colegau Cymru Learner Experience Group will be reviewing options to best support learners in 2025 to 2026. I.e. the development of an e-Learning Cultural Awareness Course, for learners who may have spoken or acted inappropriately, but where formal disciplinary action might not be the best approach. The e-course’s aim is first step to prevent comments or behaviour escalating.

Medr is developing regulation and funding conditions of registration, which will undergo public consultation from 22 October to 17 December 2025. These include:

• an equality of opportunity condition to ensure providers support learners facing social, cultural, economic and organisational barriers to tertiary education (and this includes people with protected characteristics)
• a staff and student welfare condition which will ensure providers give sufficient support to staff and students with emotional well-being and mental health conditions and learners safety which includes: freedom from harms such as harassment, misconduct, violence (including sexual violence), and hate crime

Action 31a

Explore options for a longer-term sustainable funding model for organisations, including in the voluntary sector, who provide support for a wide range of young people with differing backgrounds and needs, including support for LGBTQ+ young people.

A review of funding for youth work in Wales, which concluded in spring 2025, gathered details of funding sources available for youth work in Wales within both the voluntary and maintained sectors. The review’s recommendations inform our ongoing work to develop a sustainable delivery model for youth work in Wales.

The Strategic Voluntary Youth Work Organisation Grant supports voluntary youth organisations, to provide and develop quality youth work opportunities for young people in Wales. 3-year funding allocations have been provided to organisations in the current round of funding (2025 to 2028), with a specific focus on smaller specialist targeted youth work services aimed at those with protected characteristics.

Action 31b

Engage with youth work sector to improve access to Youth Work provision and safe spaces for young people with differing backgrounds and needs, including LGBTQ+ young people, and increased diversity within the youth work workforce.

Our cross-sector workforce development programme for youth work continues to take action to help ensure youth work practitioners are equipped with the skills and knowledge to meet the diverse needs of young people regardless of background or need.

The scope of the evaluation could be very broad. We work with all local authority youth services, a range of voluntary organisations as well as stakeholders such as WLGA, CWVYS (the Council of Wales for Voluntary Youth Services), ETS etc.

Action 40a

Work with partner organisations to support LGBTQ+ communities to collate and donate collections to local archives and museums.

Culture in general

We have expanded several of our grant funding programmes to support the delivery of the LGBTQ+ Action Plan. This includes broadening the scope of the Welsh Government Culture Grant Scheme for Grassroots Organisations, as well as providing targeted funding to local museums and libraries to strengthen their inclusive practices and programming.

Local museums, archives and libraries

Welsh Government funded LGBTQ+ language and history training for local museums, archives and libraries. This helps staff and volunteers work with LGBTQ+ communities to showcase, share and celebrate local LGBTQ+ history and culture in their collections. The training resulted in a project to create timelines of LGBTQ+ histories, and including references to collections and stories held in local collections, for each Welsh county area. These were published in February 2024.

Action 40b

Establish collaborations with national and local collections to support Pride activity across Wales, including during Pride month.

Following Welsh Government funding to National Museums Liverpool to create a Welsh version of their award winning House of Memories dementia friendly programme, further funding was awarded in 2024 to 2025 to create an LGBTQ+ Wales package l within the ‘House of Memories Cymru’ app. The LGBTQ+ package is a digital archive of memories from Wales’ LGBTQ+ communities, with experiences of pubs, Pride marches, queer activism, drag acts and more.  House of Memories Cymru is a collaboration between 21 local and national museums across Wales and National Museums Liverpool.

National Library of Wales (NLW)

As part of NLW’s LGBTQ+ Forum events, it held a ‘Queer Tales from Wales’, based on the life of Amy Dillwyn (1845 to1935)  the activist, industrialist and author from Swansea. She campaigned tirelessly for women’s rights and was an active member of the National Union of Women’s Sufferage Societies. Pride month has been celebrated with an afternoon of special activities. NLW conducted a queer guided tour taking visitors on a journey through its pride. Collections in the company of expert Norena Shopland.

It is an important part of the NLW's work to collect and preserve diverse knowledge about Wales and its people and this tour looked at special items across its collections that shed light on LGBTQ+ lives in Wales, from the time of Hywel Dda to the present day.

Llyfrau Lliwgar, Bangor and Cardiff's Welsh LGBTQ+ book club, joined NLW to deliver a talk in the company of Llenorion Lliwgar discussing the extent to which Welsh literature is inclusive and shows diversity, with contributions from guest writers. The day also featured a display of items from Jenny Porter's collection in the Penarth exhibition area.

Amgueddfa Cymru

Several new displays have opened at Amgueddfa Cymru to celebrate LGBTQ+ histories and creativity, including ‘Trawsnewid’ at National Waterfront Museum and ‘Wales is...Proud’ at St Fagans National Museum of History. ‘Wales is… for her’ display includes objects relating to players on the Wales Women’s national football team, celebrating a culturally diverse Wales and supporting LGBTQ+. Amgueddfa Cymru also supported Pride festivals and is actively collecting new objects to help document and tell the story of Wales’ rich LGBTQ+ history, including a display of photographs donated by Mike Parker.

The ‘Ours to Tell’ project aimed, and continues to collect and amplify, LGBTQ+ lives and experiences. Amgueddfa Cymru’s Youth Collective and staff helped to identify gaps in Amgueddfa Cymru’s collection and worked with communities to collect objects to display to permanently preserve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and communities from across Wales. Amgueddfa Cymru’s Principal Curator of Collection Development LGBTQ+ was named number 3 on 2025’s Pinc List of Wales’ most influential LGBTQ+ people.

Action 40c

Use national and local collections in Wales to celebrate and share LGBTQ+ stories and histories, providing funding where appropriate.

Welsh Government’s Transformation Capital Grant scheme for the local museum, library and archives sector awarded funding in 2024 to 2025 to 2 museums for projects to improve access to LGBTQ+ community histories: Plas Newydd museum in Denbighshire to improve their exhibition spaces and enable greater access to the story and collections of the Ladies of Llangollen and the Museum of Welsh Cricket. 

In addition, Welsh Government funds the Federation of Museums and Art Galleries of Wales to provide a Small Grants Scheme to the local Museums sector, the criteria of which cites projects aligning to EDI work and activities working with and for LGBTQ+ communities being a priority area.  In the most recent funding round, we are aware of2 applications with distinct links to showcasing the histories of LGBTQ+ communities. These are currently being assessed, and no decision has yet been made.

Action 40d

Improve LGBTQ+ representation in the Culture sector in Wales at all levels, including at Board, workforce, and volunteers’ levels.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW)

The RCAHMW has altered its recruitment equality monitoring to ensure it reflects all forms of diversity. RCAHMW has carried out an audit to capture and review baseline diversity data, which has also helped it identify some areas for improvement. RCAHMW has adopted positive recruitment policies that help support and enable applications from and career pathways of under-represented groups.

Action 40e

Work in collaboration with LGBTQ+ organisations and key partners to ensure the needs of Welsh language speakers are met in the representation of LGBTQ+ culture. One such example is the Mas ar y Maes partnership.

During the Urdd Eisteddfod in Carmarthenshire in 2023, Urdd Gobaith Cymru launched a new project for the Urdd's LGBTQ+ young people, Cwiar na Nog.

As an organisation, Urdd Gobaith Cymru is keen to achieve the goal of Urdd for all, and therefore Cwiar na Nog is a safe space for young people to socialise and network and learn more about their identity through the Welsh language.

Mas ar y Maes started in 2018, with the vision of ensuring that  there is fair representation for the LGBTQ+ community at the National Eisteddfod. Maes ar y Maes offers a programme of activities during the week of the National Eisteddfod that have been curated by the LGBTQ+ community. The activities are carried out through the medium of Welsh, and are accessible and welcoming to members of the community in the various catchment areas of the Eisteddfod.

Action 41a

Encouraging the culture public bodies to include LGBTQ+ communities in their objectives and outcomes.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW)

RCAHMW has altered its recruitment equality monitoring to ensure it reflects all forms of diversity. RCAHMW has carried out an audit to capture and review baseline diversity data, which has also helped it identify some areas for improvement. RCAHMW has adopted positive recruitment policies that help support and enable applications from and career pathways of under-represented groups.

The Arts Council of Wales

The Arts Council of Wales’ (ACW) funding agreement with multi-year funded organisations asks for plans and progress reports on all organisations widening engagement and equalities actions. This is an importantstep in taking forward ACW’s own strategic and targeted plans for representation across the sector at all levels.

Action 41b

Develop and share scalable best practice.

Amgueddfa Cymru has recently signed up to the Trans Inclusive Culture project led by the University of Leicester, and Principal Curator of Collection Development: LGBTQ+ shared the work that is being carried out at Amgueddfa Cymru in collecting the experiences of transgender people living in Wales at the Museums Association conference held at St Fagans in October 2025.

The Arts Council of Wales shares best practice examples in its annual reporting and on its website. It has plans to improve this as it moves forward with its new multi-year funding approach to supporting arts organisations in Wales.

Action 41c

Provide greater focus on equality as part of skills development, work experiences, volunteering, mentoring and apprenticeship activities and opportunities in the cultural sector.

Amgueddfa Cymru has recently appointed an EDI Lead based within the HR Department. 

This is included in Arts Council of Wales action plans (equality and widening engagement) and is a strand within the funding agreements for multi-year funded organisations. 

Action 44a

Work in social partnership to encourage employers to promote, share and adopt best practice in relation to inclusive workplaces, including the dissemination of case studies.

We have worked with colleagues in Business Wales to produce a range of on-line resources to improve business owner understanding of Fair Work. Fair work is ‘the presence of observable conditions at work which means workers are fairly rewarded, heard and represented, secure and able to progress in a healthy, inclusive working environment where rights are respected’. Equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to the Fair Work agenda. The resources include information, tools, and guidance on creating diverse and inclusive working environments. They also include information designed to help employers understand their legal obligations to workers, including on issues such as discrimination, harassment and bullying in the workplace.

Action 44b

Improve access to information, advice, guidance and support for employers on employing LGBTQ+ workers including information on legal responsibilities.

We have updated our  Fair Work guide to include a Fair Work animation targeted at employers. These resources promote the principles Fair Work including ‘safe, healthy and inclusive working environments.

Action 44c

Work in social partnership to encourage to employers to adopt equalities policies and procedures that safeguard against LGBTQ+ discrimination.

We have established an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) working group within our Retail Forum to promote EDI across the retail sector.