What is LGBTQ+ Mythbusters?

LGBTQ+ Mythbusters are University of Kent students from the LGBTQ+ community who go into secondary schools to speak to students (16–18-year-olds) candidly about their experiences, both in terms of their sexuality and/or identity, their coming out process and about university life in broader terms.

We have run the Mythbusters programme since 2015 and have over 100 alumni who have all said that they found being part of the programme incredibly beneficial, and they wished that something like this had been available to them when they were at school.7

How does it work?

Mythbusters are put into teams (minimum two people per team, up to four) and allocated to a group of approximately 30 students. Students ask their questions anonymously by writing them on post-it notes and submitting them. The Mythbusters then pull the questions individually and can choose whether they wish to answer them.  All groups are supervised by a teacher from the school.

The aim is for young people to be able to ask questions in a safe and supportive environment that they may not previously have felt comfortable or able to ask, to find out more about life in university for someone who identifies as LGBTQ+ and to ask questions about their own experiences and emotions that they may be unsure about from someone who truly understands what it is like.

Do I get training? What is the time commitment?

Each School session lasts for approximately 1 hour, normally with at least 2 rounds of questions being submitted (we have noticed that the school students relax much more and are much more forthcoming with questions during the second round). There is sometimes the opportunity afterwards for students to speak to the Mythbusters on a 1:1 basis.

We train you and pay for your transport to the sessions and you are entitled to collect Employability Points.  All Mythbusters need to commit to at least one school session, which run throughout the Summer Term.  Please see the LGBTQ+ Mythbusters Role Description for more information.

To request an Expression of Interest form, email rsl7@kent.ac.uk by 20 March.