Our theme this year, ‘Young at Heart’, focuses on physical and mental health and promotes the right for LGBT+ people in the Liverpool City Region and beyond to enjoy a happy, healthy and carefree life, regardless of age, ability or how they identify.
Embracing your LGBT+ identity can and should have a positive impact on your mental health and wellbeing. However, as Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 starts, the statistics show that people who identify as LGBT+ are more likely to experience mental health issues, with half of LGBT+ people experiencing depression and 46% of Trans people saying that they have thought about taking their own life.
Mental health issues in the LGBT+ community often come as a result of experiencing hate crime and facing stigma and discrimination, as well as social isolation, exclusion and rejection.
Alarmingly, fear of discrimination when accessing healthcare has led to LGBT+ people avoiding treatment. According to a government survey from 2019, sixteen percent of LGBT+ people who sought help for mental health issues said that their GP was not supportive and when mental health services were accessed around a fifth of respondents (22%) said they had a negative experience.
To highlight where to find help for yourself, friends, family and employees, we will be speaking to Jake Mills, founder of Liverpool-based mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, about its free mental health signposting app, the Hub of Hope, the UK’s most comprehensive mental health support database. Stay tuned to our socials.
We will also be sharing details of useful mental health events taking place for Mental Health Awareness Week, as well as highlighting vital services, initiatives and resources, a few of which are highlighted below (this page will be updated so please check back).
On Wednesday 20th May at 5pm, CWU Northwest and The CWU Northwest Mental Health Network are hosting a free live panel event for Mental Health Awareness Week, chaired by Angela Rayner, who has been involved in mental health campaigns throughout her political career.
She will be joined by Steve Flatt, a psychotherapist and an honorary researcher with the University of Liverpool, North West CWU regional MHFA accredited tutor, Jamie McGovern and Shelly Asquith, the National Health, Safety and Wellbeing Officer for the TUC. To register, please email the North West CWU team.
In response to the UK lockdown and COVID-19 outbreak, Comics Youth have created a free lockdown care package for young people aged 8 – 25 in the Liverpool City Region. If you join the #StaySafeClub, you’ll receive a parcel full of free goodies that are designed to help you keep calm, de-stress, have fun and get creative during lockdown.
