LGBTI+ support for young people (360G-CR-4908584)

COVID19 -MYPAS are seeking funding to provide individual and group work via online platforms to support the mental health and wellbeing of LGBT+ young people aged between 12-21 in Midlothian and East Lothian.Young people who identify within the umbrella of LGBT+ are found to experience disproportionately high levels of poor mental health, isolation and bullying (including cyberbullying) compared to the general population of young people this age in Scotland. Research published by LGBT Youth Scotland in 2017 is the most relevant research we have about the experiences of LGBT+ young people in Scotland. This study surveyed 684 young LGBT+ people in Scotland. Results showed that 84% of LGBT young people and 96% of transgender young people had experienced mental health problems. Of these young people, 73% of LGBT and 83% of transgender young people had experienced bullying at school. Less than half of young people (43%) said that there were enough places where they could socialise safely and be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity, suggesting that this group feel socially isolated.In order to provide this extended online service, MYPAS are seeking funding for 25 hours of project worker salary costs. We are also seeking funds to provide young people with the required technology (including tablets and data top-ups) to be able to engage with these activities. MYPAS would also require funds to provide staff members with digital resources (mobile phones with ability to access WhatsApp, Microphones to run online groups effectively and a Zoom Pro account). This would allow us to immediately extend the capacity of our existing Midlothian service and to allow capacity to extend to East Lothian. MYPAS would provide an additional weekly online group to LGBT+ young people in East and Midlothian, as well as extend our capacity for one-to-one support sessions to young people in Midlothian and create new provision for one to one support for young people living in East Lothian.What would these supports look like? :One to One Support ? MYPAS will provide one-to-one online support following our existing model. MYPAS currently provide support to young people in Midlothian around their sexual and gender identity (which can include discussion around coming out, accessing gender identity services, experiencing homophobic and transphobic attitudes), their mental wellbeing, dealing with difficult emotions and building confidence. We take a relationship-centred approach where the quality of the relationship is the key factor to supporting a young person to feel safe and supported. The service is young-person led, we build from where the young people are at and provide support for the issues that the young person raises. The service is evaluated on an ongoing basis with the young people, to ensure that their needs are being met. We use standardised evidence-based tools to evaluate the service such as the Teen Outcome Star in conjunction with a range of informal evaluative feedback tools. We would expand our capacity to provide online one to one support for LGBT+ young people in Midlothian and extend this service to meet the need for LGBT+ support for individuals who live in East Lothian. Online Groups ? Our groups provide a safe, youth-led, non-judgemental space for LGBT+ young people to socialise, build peer relationships and feel included in their community. The young people who attend provide the ideas for sessions and lead discussions that are explored within the group (such as topical LGBT+ news stories, coming out, experiences of bullying and difficulties in school or coping strategies for mental health issues for example mindfulness or journaling). The group will also provide a platform to engage young people in digital Pride events which are being planned in place of cancelled physical events to promote inclusion in the wider LGBT+ community. We would use our current model of providing an online group for LGBT+ young people in Midlothian and provide an additional online weekly group for LGBT+ young people who live in East Lothian. MYPAS have a three year track record of providing individual support and groups for LGBT+ young people via face-to-face methods. This support aims to improve the mental wellbeing, confidence and resilience of young people by providing young people with a safe-space and experienced project workers who can provide young people with support for difficulties they are facing, such as; emotional issues, anxiety, self-harm, substance use and family issues. They are given the opportunity to consider areas of their life, including their goals, their relationships and to explore practical strategies to improve their wellbeing. We have adapted this face-to-face service to online formats during COVID-19 lockdown and have developed online working policies and procedures to ensure confidentiality and safety for young people and staff. MYPAS anticipate that we would provide our extended service to 24 additional young people over the months of July-January. This would include;- 6 additional young people to receive online/face-to-face one to one support in Midlothian.- 10 young people to receive online/face-to-face one to one support in East Lothian.- 8 young people to attend an additional weekly online/face-to-face group.