The aim of the TRAIT project was to develop and validate an interdisciplinary training model that improves the professional competence of healthcare and legal professionals in working with transgender and intersex (TI) people. The project sought to improve access to services, eliminate discrimination and create an empathetic and informed environment for TI clients. Specific objectives included: – strengthening the knowledge and skills of professionals in the field of LGBTQ+ issues, – creating training modules for the transferability of learning outcomes, – reducing secondary victimisation, stereotypes and prejudices against TI persons, – raising public awareness of the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The project also strengthened the network between healthcare, legal and educational institutions and supported the creation of structured training that can be used in other European contexts in the long term.
The TRAIT (Training to Raise Awareness and Inclusion of Transgender) project was designed in response to the urgent need to improve access to and quality of health and legal services for transgender and intersex persons (TI persons) in Europe. An initial analysis showed that these people face high levels of discrimination, social exclusion, violence and secondary victimisation across European countries, often due to a lack of education and cultural sensitivity among the professionals who provide them with assistance – doctors, psychotherapists, judges and lawyers. At the same time, there was a lack of systematic, European-recognised training in vocational education and training (VET) for working with this target group. The TRAIT project therefore sought to create an interdisciplinary and international training model for professionals who provide assistance to TI individuals, with the aim of strengthening their knowledge, empathy and communication skills, contributing to the elimination of stereotypes and increasing overall cultural competence in health and legal services.