BRIT enters into a special relationship with the MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health Service
We are delighted to be forging a special relationship with the MindOut Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Queer (LGBTQ) Mental Health Service.
In 1998, Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard approached Mind in Brighton and Hove to start discussions about how to highlight the mental health needs of Brighton's LGB&T communities. A number of public meetings were held, involving local community groups, activists, service providers and service commissioners.
Comic Relief provided funding to start up an Advocacy, Group Work and Training project, run by Mind in Brighton and Hove. This became MindOut.
In 2011, MindOut branched out and became an independent charity on its own.
We are sincerely grateful to Helen Jones, Chief Executive, and Lucy Kamper, Business Development Manager, for their support and enthusiasm to explore and forge a relationship between our two charities.
“MindOut is passionate about helping organisations and professionals to become more confident in supporting LGBTQ people.
Our focus on affirmative practice is at the heart of all of our training; affirmative practice embraces a positive view of (LGBTQ) identities and relationships and proactively addresses the negative influences on mental health that homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism have on the lives of LGBTQ people.
MIndOut will continue to provide an Online Service for any member of the LGBTQ community that needs support.
We are delighted to be forging a special relationship with The British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) who are championing our services through their work with universities, colleges, Students’ Unions and the Charity, Education and Sport Sectors.
Improving the mental health and fitness of young adults and students in the UK is vital and we applaud BRIT for delivering their annual inclusive BRIT Challenge for every university and college student and member of staff to take part in.”
Helen Jones
Chief Executive
MindOut
MindOut’s vision is a world where the mental health of LGBTQ communities is a priority, free from stigma, respected and recognised.
They are passionate about:
Community and individual empowerment
Mental wellbeing
Co-production and client participation
Staff wellbeing, performance and development
Challenging stigma and discrimination
Transparency
Quality, excellence and innovation
Diversity and inclusion, respecting individuality
Meeting the needs of LGBTQ communities
BRIT are determined to deliver an annual inclusive feelgood February fundraiser to improve and support the mental health and fitness of young adults and students. We are inviting every UK university and college to enter teams and encourage student and staff participation.
The next BRIT Challenge will take place in February 2022 and we will be empowering every team to choose a second charity to raise funds for, alongside BRIT, in order to support the charity sector.
MindOut is a mental health service run by and for lesbians, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people with experience of mental health issues.
They work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ communities and to make mental health a community concern.
They do this by:
Listening to and responding to the LGBTQ experience of mental health
Offering hope through positive relationships and professional expertise
Preventing isolation, crisis and suicidal distress in LGBTQ communities
Providing safe spaces for people to meet and support each other
Helping people protect their rights and get their voices heard
Campaigning and creating conversations about LGBTQ mental health throughout the world
MindOut is needed because LGBTQ people:
do not get the support they need for their mental health from mainstream services
often feel isolated from LGBTQ communities
face additional discrimination, exclusion and minority stress
deserve a space where their identities are recognised and understood
BRIT appreciates the support of MindOut to educate and assist us in our future strategy and we are also enthused with the opportunity to attend MindOut training courses including;
A-Z of LGBTQ Inclusion - Meeting the mental health needs of LGBTQ people
Trans 101 - Introduction to trans awareness
MindOut is passionate about helping organisations and professionals to become more confident in supporting LGBTQ people, may they be clients, customers, service users or staff. Their supportive learning environment encourages participants to reflect on and improve their professional and personal practices with regard to LGBTQ inclusion. Their focus on affirmative practice is at the heart of all of their training; affirmative practice embraces a positive view of (LGBTQ) identities and relationships and proactively addresses the negative influences on mental health that homophobia, transphobia, and heterosexism have on the lives of LGBTQ people.
The Trans 101 course will help increase knowledge and develop inclusive practice around:
The intersection between gender, sexuality, sex and gender presentations
The basics of social and medical transitioning
Trans mental health awareness
Challenging transphobia
The A-Z of Inclusion course will aim to:
Increase understanding of LGBTQ identities and terminology
Explore LGBTQ mental health, what’s different and why?
Deepen awareness of trans issues, experiences and care pathways
Develop affirmative practice interventions and inclusion
Review information for signposting to LGBTQ specific support
For more details of MindOut’s Online Support, please visit their website. You can follow them on Twitter and Instagram.