Although Pride Month 2021 is over, the conversation about the support and inclusion of the LGBTQI+ community is far from it.

At Abodus, we have made it known time and again that it is our aim to support our LGBTQI+ residents, and to educate all our residents on this ever-present topic so we may encourage them to do the same. And while we know going off to university can be a very exciting time for young people, we also know that this is when students might become most vulnerable – Especially those within the LGBTQI+ community.

Unfortunately, the LGBTQI+ student community is often under-represented and as a result, may be more at risk of experiencing mental health difficulties at university. As the topic of LGBTQI+ student mental health continues to pick up pace, so does the need for more information and resources around it.

Our friends at Student Minds have recognised this need and worked with university professionals and Student Minds alumni to create a helpful guide for LGBTQI+ students and their friends. They have even chosen to focus their efforts on LGBTQI+ education and support throughout the month of July, and as part of our Gold Partnership with them, we are working with them to make this information readily available to our residents.

Read on below for a list of LGBTQI+ organisations that provide a wealth of resources, information and support to those within the community and their allies:

LGBTQI+ Support and Services

• Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. They empower students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change. They have an entire webpage dedicated to providing information on coming out, gender transitioning, experiencing exclusion and discrimination, and supporting friends within the LGBTQI+ community.
• Switchboard LGBT+ helpline provide an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people – and anyone considering issues around their sexuality and/or gender identity.
• Not a Phase is a small charity working towards a brighter future for the trans+ community and aims to bridge the gaps that the trans+ and gender nonconforming community too often fall between.
• Stonewall imagine a world where all LGBTQI+ people are free to be themselves and live their lives to the full. They have information, resources, and campaigns for the LGBTQI+ community and beyond.
• The HRC Foundation improves the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people by working to increase understanding and encourage the adoption of LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices.
• Mind Out is a mental health service run by and for lesbians, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people. They work to improve the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ communities and to make mental health a community concern.
• i am me is the positive mental health app created by young people for young people, and it is designed to educate, enable and empower. i am me aims to empower young people to become more comfortable in their own skin and create their definition of success and sense of purpose.
• Student Pride run annual, national events for LGBTQ+ students across the country with fantastic guest speakers and panel discussions.
• ReportOUT is a global human rights organisation for sexual and gender minorities, and its mission is to report, inform and defend.
• The Proud Trust provide support to young people aged 14-25 who are LGBT across the North West through youth groups and 1-2-1 support, and have a number of free online guides, as well as research.
• ​​The PACE RaRE Project report looks at factors that contribute to young LGBTQ+ people having difficulties with their mental health.
• Abodus Student Living has an ongoing commitment to our residents’ health and wellbeing, empowering them to seek help when they need it, and supporting them to develop skills that will equip them not only for university, but for life more generally.

We want to make sure our residents can easily locate all the support and services available to them as LGBTQI+ students and/or allies, and we hope this blog has provided you with a great starting point in doing just that.

Throughout the month of July and in line with our Gold Partnership with Student Minds, we will continue to provide you with as many resources and as much information as we possibly can through more blogs, events, even some fun and interactive stories over on our Instagram page.

In the meantime, if you require more information regarding your mental health and wellbeing, we encourage you to visit our Wellbeing Page as well as Student Minds’ newly launched advice and information platform, Student Space. If you need immediate support, please text STUDENT to 85258.