Engaging and valuing LGB young people in your services

- Contact lesbian, gay and bisexual young people through outreach, through the media and the internet.

- Provide comfortable and accessible environments for LGB young people to meet in.

- Provide an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for LGB young people and workers to meet in

- Provide appropriate staffing for the groups or individuals you work with and ensure staff work in pairs in group sessions.

- Provide a youth forum or a space to discuss fears and expectations of the service or groups and develop a working contract that will be constantly reviewed.

- Spend time on developing working relationships with LGB young people in groups.

- Allow the project to develop over a reasonable period of time. Funding must be for more than one year as 12 months may not produce significant take-up of services by LGB young people.

- Provide social activities on a regular basis to compliment the group.

- Provide services that can be diversified and work with other partners to provide a range of services.

- Services should utilise LGB young people’s own talents and skills and encourage LGB young people to volunteer.

- Services should provide clear and concise information about what they offer, clearly outlining their aims.

- Provide services and publications depicting positive images and role models of gay men.

This article was last reviewed on: 27/10/11
Date due for next review: 27/10/13