The LGBT+ Network for Change (https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/), formerly ‘LGB&T Dorset Equality Network’ is a dedicated LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community charity concentrating on support for sections of our LGBT community that encounter greater needs, one of the most needful, isolated and vulnerable LGBTQ+ community groups we support being our LGBTQ+ homeless & sofa surfing community.
In this in late 2020 we commenced a mental health services support based and homeless sector ‘joined up’ relevant LGBT+ appropriate/friendly initiative (pilot being in the Bournemouth/Christchurch/Poole Council area of the South Coast of England region), that included provision of dedicated training of relevant strategic and frontline levels staff such as in the NHS (please see Dorset Healthcare NHS mental health services ‘Steps 2 Wellbeing’ link below). For more information on our multiagency initiative please see https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/network-lgbtq-homeless-community-support-initiative-sees-further-breakthroughs-and-our-initiative-with-the-prison-service-advances-strongly/ and https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/network-lgbt-lgbtq-homeless-community-nhs-engagement-multi-agency-initiative/.
With, according to reliable and consistent research and reports in the UK and beyond, 24% of younger homeless community members (on the basis of Albert Kennedy Trust (please see AKT contact below) research: having an LGBTQ+ background relating to their homelessness, or risk of homelessness or sofa surfing (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/23/one-third-of-homeless-sofa-surfing-forced-to-do-so-for-over-six-months), including a large proportion of ethnic minority community members.
Mental health improvement is central to self-help support, the Network enabling NHS services assistance the Steps 2 Wellbeing programme via comprehensive information resources and related training to Dorset Healthcare NHS mental health Trust healthcare professionals [counsellors, therapists, etc.] and admin staff [those who take your initial call]: https://www.steps2wellbeing.co.uk/how_are_you_feeling/about_you/lgbt/.
The Network can support BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole) Council area homeless/sofa surfing community members at contact.lgbtnetwork@gmail.com on issues experienced accessing homeless support services. We’ll take up your case should you experience a poor service (local authority that you feel has been caused by
Please also see Albert Kennedy Trust, the UK’s lead national LGBT+ homeless support organisation: https://www.akt.org.uk/contact