On Wednesday, January 29, nine youth services from across Ireland received the Rainbow Award in recognition and celebration of the work they do in creating safe and inclusive spaces for young LGBTQ+ people. Organised by Belong To, the event also saw several speakers discuss the importance of inclusive spaces where LGBTQ+ youth can be themselves fully.

The Rainbow Award is a 12 to 18-month process where organisations implement evidence-based actions across key areas to improve the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth. Last year’s Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland report published by Belong To showed that 84% of LGBTQ+ people said having a connection to the community was one of the most important factors contributing to their mental health.

In an increasingly polarised and hostile world, it is more important than ever for LGBTQ+ people to have access to spaces where their identities are accepted and celebrated. For this reason, the impact of this year’s Rainbow Award winners cannot be overstated.

The nine organisations awarded last night provide youth services across Ireland from Donegal to Limerick, supporting over 2,500 young people. The 2025 awardees are:

Belvedere Youth Club
Based in Dublin 1, Belvedere Youth Club is a service for people aged seven to 24, making it one of the few projects on the island that deliver a service dedicated to the seven to nine-year-old age cohort. Its work can be categorised as services, such as homework clubs and art and sporting activities; and targeted youth programmes, involving one-to-one work, personal development and more.

Southill Hub
Founded in 2008 in Limerick, Southill Hub is a purpose-built community facility that runs a Youth Work Programme. The space includes a community café offering healthy nutritious food at affordable prices, office space for community-based organisations, as well as a sports hall and meeting rooms.

Young Social Innovators
A non-profit organisation based in Dublin, Young Social Innovators (YSI) aims to empower young people to “use their talents, insights, passion and creativity to come up with innovative solutions to social challenges”. It runs engaging programmes to support students to create team-based action projects on issues they care about to bring about positive social change.

Brú Youth Services
Brú Youth Services is a project based in Dublin whose work focuses on young people in the community who are most in need. Providing a variety of services, the team offers professional youth work programmes in the Crumlin/Walkinstown area.

Belong To – Dublin Youth Service
Belong To’s Dublin Youth Service was also among the awardees, celebrating the unique work the service provides to LGBTQ+ children and young people in the Irish capital. Belong To’s qualified and experienced Youth Workers work to support young people in a caring and supportive manner.

Donegal Youth Service
A countryside youth service with over 30 affiliated youth clubs and projects, Donegal Youth Service works with over 11,500 young people annually. its focus is on providing local services and responding quickly to the needs of the local community.

Bradóg Youth Service
Based in Dublin, Bradóg Youth Service is a community-based organisation that works with people aged eight to 24. It offers support in a variety of areas, including education, employment, personal and social development, youth offending and anti-social behaviour, mental health and more.

Familibase
As a not-for-profit organisation with charitable status, Familibase works with children, young people and families to create sustainable environments where they can flourish. Recognising that not all children, young people and families have the same opportunities, the organisation positively targets its resources to promote equality.

Crosscare Bray
Operating in County Wicklow, Crosscare exists to support people and families who face difficult challenges in life. The organisation focuses on helping people when they need it most or when they can’t find support anywhere else. It also runs youth-led programmes responding to the needs of young people from the age of 10 to 24.

Applications for next year’s Rainbow Award are already open. For more information, visit www.belongto.org.