PRESS RELEASE Professional training launched to support the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people

Today national youth organisations Jigsaw – The National Centre for Youth Mental Health and Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland launched an updated training programme ‘Supporting the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People’.

The free online training has been created for adults who work or volunteer with young people in their communities to upskill in supporting LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health.

The two youth organisations originally came together in 2016 to develop a course for those who work or volunteer with young people. This is the second iteration of that course, updated to meet the current cultural environment and needs of LGBTQ+ youth.

The training takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete, and covers topics including:

• Using appropriate language and terminology when supporting LGBTQ+ young people;
• The current landscape of LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health;
• The impact of the social determinants of health on LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health;
• The impact of minority stress upon LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health; and
• Practical strategies to help build resilience among LGBTQ+ young people.

Growing Mental Health Challenges for LGBTQI+ Youth

Recent research from Trinity College Dublin, Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland, which was published in 2024, highlights the significant mental health challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ youth in Ireland today.

The report revealed that, compared to the general youth population, LGBTQI+ young people experience:

• Three times the level of severe and extremely severe symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression;
• Twice the level of suicide ideation; and
• Five times the level of suicide attempts.

Speaking about the course today, Dr Joseph Duffy (he/him), CEO at Jigsaw commented:

“People working and volunteering with youth have a huge opportunity to support them in a way that can really change lives. Being able to support young people through challenges being faced at a critical time in their development can have a huge and lasting impact. This training has been developed to provide anyone in this position with the knowledge and understanding to be able to support LGBTQ+ young people who we know need that support now.”

Also speaking was Moninne Griffith (she/her), CEO of Belong To who said:

“We’re very proud to be launching this updated training, and very conscious of the current environment in which we’re doing so with an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and a growing, coordinated attempt both internationally and here in Ireland to row back on LGBTQ+ rights. Young people see this and feel this. The findings of ‘Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland’ revealed last year are upsetting, but to those of us working to support LGBTQI+ people, unfortunately they are not surprising.

“This study demonstrates the harsh reality that depression, anxiety and stress have increased amongst LGBTQ+ youth since the first iteration of the same study in 2016. We hope that this study will be a resource for any person working or volunteering with young people to support them through challenges they are facing, at a time when they so clearly need that support.”