With this project we wanted to create peer support practices that would help mitigate the risks of mental health problems among young LGBTIQ+ people and create innovative and effective tools for youth work to make it more accessible to minority youth. To achieve these objectives, project was planned to support capacity building of partner organisations in the work with marginalised LGBTIQ+ youth. The project also aimed to strengthen the international cooperation networks of the partner organisations and to help in finding new partnerships, as both organisations are the only actors in their countries working with particular LGBTIQ+ youth facing housing difficulties and social exclusion. With this project we wanted to empower young LGBTIQ+ people through peer support, create opportunities for participation for marginalised youth and make visible the specific challenges of social exclusion and housing experienced by LGBTIQ+ youth.
Youth workers alliance for the development and promotion of youth peer support in the area of youth mental health - project was applied from the needs of partner organisations Sateenkaari-ikkuna ry from Finland and Ljubljana Pride from Slovenia and their beneficiaries to have strategies and methods that will support the mental health of LGBTIQ+ youth. We wanted particularly to reach out LGBTIQ+ youth experiencing social exclusion and housing problems, because several studies and the practical experience show that there is a causal link between mental health problems and socio-economic problems among these young people. The mental health of minority youth is also affected by minority stress and it is one of the reasons why marginalised young people do not seek help from the service system but rely on each other. This kind of peer support is important and can lower the threshold for young people to seek help from the service system, but it can also be overwhelming for young people who are supporting each other. Because of this we created peer support practices that will help mitigate the risks of mental health issues in young LGBTIQ+ people.