It’s Pride Month!! To celebrate a number of schools, third level education and the workplace are celebrating the nearly thousands of people who identify as being on the LGBTQ+ spectrum bring in outside organisations who advocate, educate and empower their supports, no matter what area of the LGBTQ+ spctrum they idemtify with. Some of these companies are:
Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland is the national organisation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) young people in Ireland. Since 2003, we have worked with LGBTQ+ young people aged 14 to 23 years to create a world where they are equal, safe and thriving in the diversity of their identities and experiences. We advocate and campaign on behalf of young LGBTQ+ people, and offer a specialised LGBTQ+ youth service with a focus on mental and sexual health, alongside drug and alcohol support. We also offer specialised crisis counselling in partnership with Pieta.
Created in 1979 The Dublin Lesbian Line is run entirely by volunteers who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Their goal is to provide a supportive, confidential, non-judgmental helpline to those in need and expand our service accordingly.As they say on their website “Every call we get at Dublin Lesbian Line is unique and no call is the same:” They deal with all types of call from sexual/gender identify and coming out, to mental health, bullying and parenting advice
Gay Health Network (GHN) is a network of organisations and individuals in Ireland providing the national; resource, response, support and expert network for the promotion of HIV prevention and sexual health and wellbeing for gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (MSM).development of Man2Man.ie, the only HIV and sexual health information and resource website specifically targeting MSM in Ireland.Promote social inclusion and increase access to information for harder to reach groups living outside urban areas through social media and print and broadcast media. Initiate a peer-led volunteer outreach service to promote HIV prevention and sexual health at social venues.
GCN is a not-for-profit charity. It has been Ireland’s free LGBTQ+ press since 1988, making it Ireland’s queer paper of record. GCN is a key resource for our community, platforming and amplifying their voices and advocating for change.
Our printed & digital magazine, a website with content updated daily, rights campaigns, live events, published research reports and social media channels create vital means for the LGBTQ+ community to educate, inform, and connect with one another.
GCN has documented Ireland’s seismic societal change, and its preservation of this cultural memory is vital in terms of education, information exchange, and the betterment of our society.
HIV Ireland has been responding to the challenges that HIV presents across four decades. 2022 marked 40 years since the first reports of HIV and AIDS in Ireland in 1982.
Our support services for people living with HIV, those more vulnerable to acquiring HIV, and communities affected by HIV, are all free of charge.
HIV Ireland Services include:
· National HIV Peer Support Programme provided by volunteers
· Counselling services for people living with HIV
· Advocacy service for people living with HIV
· Free HIV rapid testing and self testing
· Free condoms and resources
· Education and training for health and social care personnel
· Community outreach services
· Campaigning on social policy issues that impact on the quality of life of people living with HIV
· Community responses to emerging needs and trends
· Providing access to our National HIV Archive
· New research projects
Internal Organisations
Many large organisations now have Employee Resource Groups find their employees to find their tribe within the workforce or act as alleles for others. One such organisation is An Garda Siochana, who created G-Force. They provide a range of services such as providing training to their employee base on LGBT+ issues, assist in recruitment from these communities, provide resource to serving Gardi on their own personal stance within the LGBT+ community and organising events to celebrate and promote the LGBT+ members within their ranks.
LGBT Ireland is a national support service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people and their families and friends. Today LGBT Ireland offers a comprehensive range of services which provide support and information on issues relating to sexuality and gender identity. They have a number of different services available such as:
- A confidential listening and support, is provided seven days a week through the telephone helpline 1800 929 539
- The peer support service established in 2014, offers opportunities for people to come together on a monthly basis,
- LGBT Ireland also delivers LGBT awareness training to other services and community groups, to enhance the support received by LGBT people accessing these services and groups.
- LGBT Ireland works with partner organisations to expand the support available to LGBT people and their family members, including with Samaritans Ireland through their Direct Dial and Connect programmes.
Neuro Pride Ireland is a volunteer-led grassroots DPO (Disabled Persons’ Organisation) founded in 2021. It is led by Neurodivergent adults living in Ireland. We host regular online meetups year-round as well as our Neuro Pride festival in August. 8th August is Neuro Pride Day. Celebrate with us!
Our mission is to create a community where Neurodivergent (ND) people can connect, share their ideas and experiences, and be proud of who they are. We also strive to help educate the public through our blog, social media sites, and YouTube channel. We advocate for Neurodiversity-affirming services and supports, which does not include behaviourist approaches such as ABA and PBS.
- Create an inclusive Neurodivergent community
- Advocate for acceptance, inclusion, and ND-affirming supports and services
- Share our journeys, experiences, thoughts, and opinions
- Spread joy through our creative projects, interests, and passions
- Exchange practical advice on daily life, mental health, work, relationships, and parenting
- Provide information about supports and services in Ireland
- Give our take on current events and publications
- Provide our perspective on the latest Neurodiversity research
Outhouse’s mission is to improve the quality of life for LGBTQ+ people by providing a safe space to find:
- Connection – discovering themselves, their people, place, and passions.
- Community Support – accessing information, programmes, and services.
- Culture – experiencing creativity, heritage, discovery, and fun.
- Campaigns – being part of a strong, credible, and trusted voice for LGBTQ+ communities.
Their cafe at Outhouse is a cosy, warm, welcoming LGBTQ+ safe space to spend a bit of time, have a coffee or eat lunch. Whether you’re meeting for a coffee & a quick bite to eat with friends, or you’re looking for some quiet time with a book from our library, or need some information on the groups and activities on offer, the Outhouse café is the place for you.
The Outhouse Library houses a comprehensive library of books relating to homosexuality in general, including transgender, gay, lesbian, and bisexual topics. The library is on the first floor of the Outhouse building. It is a comfortable and informal space, which houses an LGBT collection of almost 4000 titles, both international and Irish books.
Now in its 40 year The Pride Festival is held in each county in Ireland and celebrates all aspects of the LGBT+ community. There is a parade in every county in Ireland, with Dublin being the biggest. There’s an expected crowd of ?? to attend the festivals throughout the country. They say on their website “The festival is a march and a parade. We should always celebrate who we are and the hard-fought achievements we have made, but there is still a long way to go, and protest will always be at the heart of pride.”
This is a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) training programme for employers run by Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride. These include, letters and stripes and letters – terminology within the LGBT community, an introduction to DEIB, unconscious bias training, gender 101, the journey of pride, how to be an ally, rainbow connections – People are the driving force behind any activist movement, and sustainable, effective support starts with community engagement and minding your mental health.
Often finding local or regional supports such as groups or free phone numbers can let the LGBT+ in rural communities know that there are resources and supports available to them, no matter what part of the LGBT spectrum they identify with. LGBT.ie gives an excellent guide to resources in every town, city and region in Ireland.
ShoutOut is a registered charity committed to improving life for LGBTQ+ people by sharing personal stories and running educational programmes.
Since 2012 we’ve been delivering workshops in secondary schools across the island of Ireland which tackle LGBTQ+ bullying, and we’ve completed over 2,250 student workshops. That means we’ve spoken directly to over 67,500 students!
We use our on-the-ground experience of speaking with young people to inform all of our training modules. We deliver educational workshops for teachers, parents & guardians, social workers, youth workers, as well as workplaces.
Through workshops in schools, colleges and corporate partners
TENI is a non-profit member-driven organisation, founded in 2006 and registered as a company limited by guarantee in February 2010. The governance is provided by a volunteer Board and operations are led by the Chief Executive and staff. Community engagement is an essential part of TENI’s identity and our mandate is based on a substantial membership, which elects the Board and is involved in long-term strategic planning. Our mission is to advance the rights and equality, and improve the lives of trans people and their families. Our vision is a world where all people, regardless of gender identity or expression, enjoy full acceptance, equality and human rights.
Through providing resources such as information on guides, healthcare, support services, family support service, a helpline and email, education and workplace training TENI also advocates and lobbies LGBT+ groups and the government for trans rights on behalf of their community.
I previously interviewed CEO of Under The Rainbow Gillian Fegan, in the interview she says “Under the Rainbow is the Diversity and Inclusion agent of 2021! We are an award winning inclusive Social Enterprise focused on wellness. We help build an authentic workplace culture empowering people to be their true selves. We do diversity with a difference as our training is based on psychology, sociology and equality. We have an expanding inclusive therapy centre with both fully qualified and student therapists who see a wide range of clients, with a low-cost option available.
Our LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Pride at Work talks are very popular. We are an LGBTQ+ lead organisation. Our formal links to Dublin Pride also enable us to deliver free events to the LGBTQ+ community regularly, especially during May and June. Some of our other trainings are The Diversity Toolkit, Stress Management, Unconscious Bias and Women In Leadership.”
Like the county and regional groups, youth groups serve as a way for young people on the LGBT+ spectrum to support each other. BeLongTo has an excellent guide to youth groups all around Ireland.
Focusondiversity.ie 