Co-op Respect and Iris Prize have been working in partnership since 2016, combining Co-op’s LGBT+ colleague network with the internationally celebrated Iris Prize Film Festival, the worlds largest LGBT+ short film festival, celebrating diversity and hosted annually in Cardiff.

On Thursday 6 February 2020, the Co-op Respect network proudly hosted the third Iris Education Outreach Day in Federation House, Manchester.

“Our aim has been to bring together the power of the big screen and an organisation committed to equality and diversity, to educate, inform and challenge on the issue of LGBT+ representation and inclusion. Developing our partnership by linking in with Co-op Academies felt like a natural next step as we have looked at how we could develop our partnership further” Hazel Rameika, Co-op Programme and Partnership Advisor

Four academies took part on the day: Grange, Swinton, Manchester and Priesthorpe. Students had the opportunity to watch some of the winning entries form Iris Prize 2019

“I’m always buzzing after our education day with pupils from the Co-op academies in Manchester. Using film to discuss issues of diversity and inclusion is a wonderful way to get the pupils thinking about themselves and the wider world.

Every year I leave knowing that I’ve learnt so much about what it must be like to be a young person in Britain today. By creating a safe space for everybody to talk and listen, I’m also confident that the future can be bright.

The young people we work with are wonderful examples of young lives bursting with so much potential. I’m pleased that Iris, through our extensive LGBT film archive, we can play a small part in their journey to success.”- Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Festival Director

Workshops provided students with the opportunity to develop a short film and ‘pitch’ their idea using an elevator pitch
and a practical workshop creating a short film learning some practical skills to help

“The session gave the students an opportunity to work together and gain real-life experience of what it is like to propose a film. The resources were inspiring and their proposal’s were excellent!”- Laura Morley, Community Projects Manager, Co-op Academy Manchester.