This project aimed at evidencing and documenting practices, processes, activities, and methodologies that foster safe spaces and increase inclusion for young LGBTQI+ people growing up in Europe, while also emphasizing the importance of recognising and acknowledging the role youth work plays in fostering and supporting these spaces and ensuring policy maker and decision makers are aware of the role of youth work in advancing equality. The project actively promoted the participation and voices of young people, youth workers and volunteers in each stage of the project to ensure that their lived experiences guided the development of each project result. The engagement with policy makers and key experts sought to increase their awareness of the experiences, feelings and impact of exclusion and discrimination faced by young LGBTQI+ people with a view of encouraging them to recognise the need to advocate for inclusive policies and practices within a European policy setting. The project sought to add to the body of literature and research which describes outcomes, competencies and practices that achieve positive outcomes for young LGBTQI+ people in youth work settings - both formal and informal. The partners worked with young LGBTQI+
Research considered for this project found that young LGBTQI+ people growing up in Europe did not feel secure, safe or accepted. Therefore this project was intentionally designed to address these concerns through European cooperation, using youth work methodologies and values to develop project results which would contribute to addressing the needs of young LGBTQI+ people. Through learning from and developing awareness of the varying circumstances of young LGBTI+ people in Europe and those who support them, the project aimed at highlighting the need for more inclusive services, spaces and policies and communicating this to practitioners and policy makers. In our research for this project we found that while there was much written about the lived experiences of young LGBTQI+ people - including the challenges and discrimination they face, there was little documented about the actual youth work practices that achieve positive outcomes. The project results have evidenced practices, processes, activities, and methodologies that young LGBTQI+ people and those working with them say create safe and inclusive spaces in both formal and non-formal settings. Emphasizing human rights and social inclusion, the project actively promoted the pa