Ceasefire Generation: LGBTQ Resources
18 February 2021
Each person has their own personal experience of growing up LGBTQ in Northern Ireland. We understand that each experience is unique. Below are some resources which may be helpful to anyone going through LGBTQ issues and also to help encourage understanding and respect for the LGBTQ community.
The Rainbow Project is a health organisation that works to improve the physical, mental & emotional health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender people in Northern Ireland.
They offer a range of resources including:
- Free Counselling - Call or e-mail or DM any of their social media pages and they can get you a health and wellbeing assessment which they use to refer into their counselling service.
https://twitter.com/trpni
https://www.facebook.com/TheRainbowProjectNI - Relationship & Sexuality Education - Free six hour LGBTQ inclusive sex education programme for young people in youth clubs and community centres around consent, puberty, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, contraception, STIs, healthy/unhealthy relationships.
- Advocacy - For those suffering from homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate-crime or hate incidents. They can help you report to the PSNI or report on your behalf.
- Training - Available by phone or Zoom for LGBTQ and those questioning their sexual orientation and gender identity. For young people (particularly those under 17) they do not necessarily need to have a parent/carer involved – just a supportive adult that could be their teacher, youth worker, etc.
Currently the wait list is 6-8 weeks.
https://www.rainbow-project.org/
Cara-Friend has been serving the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland since 1974. They have a range of resources on their website to help young people, and those supporting young people who are LGBTQ+. Have a look around our website for more information, and feel free to contact us if you have any queries!
Their resources include:
- Regional LGBTQ+ youth groups across Northern Ireland
- One-to-one support for individuals
- LGBTQ+ awareness training for professionals and volunteers working in a variety of different areas
- Community development
- The LGBT Switchboard NI helpline service
- The LGBTQ+ Inclusive Schools Programme
- A range of policy, advocacy and campaigning initiatives.
SAIL NI is a support organisation for the families of transgender and gender variant people in Northern Ireland. They directly support families across the region, as well as advocating for trans people and their families at a regional, national and European level.
If your family member is exploring their gender, or is transgender, and you need support, please get in touch. You’re far from alone, and there is a lot of support available for you.
- They organise meetings and social gatherings in a variety of locations across Northern Ireland, where we can talk and discuss our collective experiences in a private, confidential and supporting environment.
- They are also available to meet and talk one-to-one in a location in which you feel comfortable, or simply to talk over the telephone or by email.
- They aim to support parents, families, carers and individuals who are living with gender variance.
- SAIL strives to raise awareness of gender issues amongst health and education professionals as well as across the public and private sector. SAIL works in partnership with professionals and individuals across community, voluntary and statutory sectors to encourage best practice in terms of service delivery and access to information.
- SAIL works regionally across Northern Ireland and also builds and maintains links with leading advocates and health professionals through European and International networks.
- If you or a member of your family are travelling the path of gender variance you may feel alone. SAIL can offer you Support, Acceptance & Information so that those around you can Learn and walk with you.
Transgender NI is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of trans people across Northern Ireland. They focus on legal reform, strategic policy, community resources and creating lasting change.
There are now many support organisations which help and support trans, non-binary, questioning and intersex people and their families across Northern Ireland, both those providing specialist support and those providing general support catered for trans people. There is also a growing body of support for professionals and organisations:
If you work for an organisation that supports LGBTQ people in Northern Ireland and have resources or events you'd like us to list here. Please get in touch on qftmanager@qub.ac.uk.