LGBTQ+ youth charity Belong To announced a free programme of events taking place across the summer for young queer people, aged 14 to 23, starting this July and running through August. Their summer programme includes weekly themed workshops, events and activities to connect young LGBTQ+ people.
Belong To is the national organisation supporting LGBTQ+ young people in Ireland since 2003, creating a society where they are equal, safe, and thriving. The organisation’s thrilling list of activities for the summer was uniquely developed to provide a space for LGBTQ+ youth to connect with their peers.
The activities are designed to form friendships, have fun, and build skills in important topics such as self-care and sustainability. Here’s a list of the amazing events organised by Belong To for this summer.
Self-Care Summer – Wellness Week
July 15 – 19
Mental health is more than ‘little treats’ and matcha lattes. At this Wellness Week, you will discover techniques to help you truly care for yourself and your well-being. Hosted in partnership with Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, you will explore how to proactively manage your mental health through simple actions you can take every day.
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Belong to the Team – Sports Week
July 22 – 26
Get active with Belong To and other LGBTQ+ youth this summer by participating in activities and events. Take a tour of Bohemian’s Dalymount Park and ride a BMX bike. Everyone is welcome, no matter the experience level!
Climate Justice – Sustainability Week
July 29 – August 2
Climate justice is everyone’s responsibility. Explore themes of sustainability and climate action and how to develop ways that we can all take action with youth workers and guest speakers.
Casting All: The Abbey Theatre x Belong To – Theatre Week
August 12 – 16
Belong To partners once again with The Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre, for the annual LGBTQ+ Youth Drama Programme. Throughout the week, join workshops, improvisation, drama skills and scene development, culminating in the staging of an original theatre piece.
Get the Facts, Stay Safe
August 19 – 23
Join Belong To for an all-important series of workshops focusing on keeping young people and queer youth safe and informed about topics like sex, alcohol and drugs. All events will be provided to specific age groups to make sure information is provided in an age-appropriate way. This week of harm reduction education will provide LGBTQ+-specific information on sexual health and drug and alcohol use, in addition to how to stay safe.
All events will be supervised by Belong To’s team of experienced youth workers, and parental consent to attend is required for those under 18 years. Learn more and register for all events you are interested in here!
The summer workshop series follows Belong To’s recent study, which found that mental health and wellbeing have significantly declined amongst queer youth in Ireland since 2016.
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