Young Person Support

A link worker from our wellbeing team will arrange to meet a young person within their local area or at our safe headquarters based in Ashington, Northumberland, to identify what support is needed, and what form this support will take. Young people often seek somebody out of their immediate circle of friends and family who they feel they can talk to openly and who they will feel will accept them for who they are.

Our link worker will match a member of the team best suited to provide the right level of support. They will also help to find other suitable organisations which offer additional support. Our one-to-one support service is designed to act as an early intervention to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing later on in life.

A young person can either self refer or be referred to Pride Action North by parents or other organisations, such as schools, colleges or others working with the youths. However, we do need parental or guardian permission to deliver this work.

We work in partnership with North East Counselling to provide counselling to individuals who would benefit from this type of specialist support. A link worker from Pride Action North will arrange a visit locally or at our office in Northumberland to discuss options with the young person and their parent or guardian. Find out more about North East Counselling at necounselling.org.uk.

As well as LGBTQIA+-specific youth groups, Pride Action North delivers youth work for all young people by running youth groups and social gatherings.

With statistics showing that one in three young people are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Pride Action North felt that holding specific youth groups could be inaccessible to some young people still feeling that they were unable to ‘come out’. For more information, view our online calendar or get in touch with a member of our team.

Pride Action North listens to young people and, due to popular demand, we organise numerous one-off young person events, which are all led by the young people themselves.

If they want a disco or any other specific activity, we look at how we can make this possible and search for adequate funding to make it happen. Keep up to date with our latest activities by viewing our online calendar and our social media updates.

The Key is a national charity committed to inspiring young people to believe in themselves, especially those facing challenging circumstances. We work in partnership with The Key, providing facilitators who can support a group of young people deliver Social Action Projects specific to that group of young people.

In partnership with The Key and the National Citizen Service, Pride Action North aims to deliver nine Social Action Projects within the next year. We are interested to hear from organisations who work with young people about how we can provide support and work in collaboration on projects. More information about The Key is available at www.thekeyuk.org.

If you, or someone you know, thinks that you have been a victim of hate crime, you can speak to a member of the Pride Action North team and we can support you through the process.

If you wish to report the act to the police or an authority, we can act as an advocate and provide the relevant support. We can also support individuals who have already reported the actions to the police. Complete our referral form or give us a call for a chat.

Young people can be victims of domestic violence too. If a young person you know has experienced domestic violence themselves or in their homes, then we can support them (Complete our referral form or give us a call for a chat). Should you wish to do so, you can get in touch with Pride Action North confidentially and we will get in touch with that young person using a method of your own choosing.

Check out our 2023 zine created by LGBTQIA+ communities, mostly children and young people from across Pride Action North – Pride on the Road events in 2022. Download the Pride Action North Community Zine here.

You can also find a text description of the 2023 Pride Action North Community Zine here.

akt

akt support LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness, or living in a hostile environment.

They host centres that are open for referrals in Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol. They also offer digital support across the UK with live chat which is open to offer remote support to those living elsewhere in the country. Find out more here.

Galop

Galop is a national charity who support LGBTQIA+ people who have experienced violence and abuse. Galop host the National Helpline for LGBT+ Victims and Survivors of Abuse and Violence which is 0800 999 5428, you can find out more about Galop here.

Washington Mind

An LGBTQIA+ group for 13-17 year olds meet 4.30-6.30 every Wednesday at Washington Mind. The Life House, Grasmere Terrace, Washington, NE38 7LP. Find out more by emailing ypp@washingtonmind.org.uk or visiting here.

Curious Arts

Curious Arts is a North East England based charity that champions LGBTQIA+ arts, artists and communities.

The charity hosts youth activities below:

Newcastle Youth Music Group for 12-18 year olds. The group meets weekly on Tuesday evenings at Gosforth Civic Theatre OR One Strawberry Lane from 5:30pm-7:30pm (optional jam session until 8pm). 

Newcastle Youth Group for 11-15 year olds, monthly at Dance City, 2pm – 4pm.

Middlesborough & Tees Valley Youth Group for 11-15 year olds at Middlesborough Town Hall, 10.30am – 12.30pm

Curious Arts host numerous events and sessions throughout the year, you can keep up to date by visiting their website here.

Switchboard LGBT+

Switchboard is the national LGBTQIA+ support line. For anyone, anywhere in the country, at any point in their journey. Find out more here, call 0800 0119 100 10am-10pm every day or use the chat and email facilities at their website.

People Like Us (PLUS group)

PLUS (People Like US) is a safe space for people under 19 in Gateshead who are wanting or needing support relating to their gender or sexuality. 

They offer a non-judgemental and supportive place to come every Wednesday evening here.

Mermaids

Mermaids is a national charity supporting trans, non binary and gender-questioning children and young people. Find out more by visiting their website here.

PAPYRUS

Papyrus is the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide and host a project in Newcastle supporting young people and host the HOPELINE247, staffed by trained suicide prevention advisers, who work with young people – and anybody concerned for a young person – to help keep them safe from suicide. Find out more here.

Samaritans

If you need someone to talk to, Samaritans are there to listen and won’t judge or tell you what to do. Call anytime 116 123.