We support schools to be rainbow inclusive
InsideOUT’s nationwide team of regional schools coordinators are here to support rainbow, takatāpui and MVPFAFF+ young people and their schools.
Our schools coordinators can work closely alongside your school to provide professional development and workshops, offer guidance on rainbow inclusion, and help with other projects and activities such as setting up or strengthening QSAs (Queer-Straight Alliances) or Rainbow Diversity Groups.
Our schools coordinators also run regular Q’D-UP meetings that provide opportunities for QSA leaders and members from different schools to connect and access peer support and guidance.
Trainings for schools
Ensuring that school staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to support rainbow students is key to creating a rainbow inclusive school. InsideOUT can provide staff professional development workshops for schools of all levels, both to the whole staff and more specific professional development for staff groups such as counselling staff or health departments.
We can work with your school to provide workshops and training with a range of durations and maybe be able to provide multiple shorter sessions to fit in with your schedule. InsideOUT has worked with many different schools including faith-based and other special character schools and we are able to work with you to provide professional development that works within your school’s context.
Contact your local InsideOUT Schools Coordinator to book a professional development workshop for your school.
Resources for Schools
InsideOUT Kōaro has developed a range of resources for schools that can be downloaded digitally or ordered as physical copies. Visit our resources page for more details.
Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa
Held by InsideOUT Kōaro every June, Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa is a nationwide campaign celebrating rainbow staff, students and whānau in school communities across the country. In 2023, a record 300+ schools from around Aotearoa took part in Schools’ Pride Week, including over 60% of all Secondary Schools.
InsideOUT Kōaro offers a wide range of suggested activities, programming, and competitions that schools, classrooms, rainbow diversity groups, QSAs, and individual students and staff can easily get involved in.
To keep up to date with this campaign, sign up to our mailing list (make sure you tick ‘updates about events’), or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
A huge thank you to all schools, staff, QSAs, and individual students who participated in 2025!
Email [email protected] with any queries.
Out on the Shelves
Rainbow reading resource and campaign
Out on the Shelves is an online resource that lists books from around the world with rainbow themes and characters. It aims to support all rainbow young people to find stories that represent their identities in positive and affirming ways.
Out on the Shelves is also a month-long awareness campaign held annually in June. It provides an important opportunity for school and community libraries to build, promote and celebrate their rainbow collections. The Out on the Shelves campaign not only helps to connect rainbow young people with their stories and with each other, but also contributes to rainbow visibility and inclusion in our schools and communities!
Schools Network
InsideOUT’s Schools Network helps the staff and students involved with running QSAs and rainbow diversity groups to connect with each other, find out about upcoming events and access support and resources.
You can register your group here.
Day of Silence
Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, name-calling and harassment in schools.
Following on from the Day of Silence is Schools’ Pride Week, a perfect way for your school to break the silence! Schools may participate in one or both campaigns.
Posters
A collection of rainbow posters from InsideOUT Kōaro and other rainbow organisations across Aotearoa that can be downloaded and printed for use in schools and classrooms.