An organisation that supports young LGBTI+ people has reported a big jump in demand for its services.

Launching its 2020 Annual Report, BeLonG To Youth Services revealed that 1,540 people had sought support from its frontline service last year, compared to 717 in 2019 – that is a 113% increase.

The report also revealed a 360% increase in individual interventions – phone, email and text support – compared to 2019.

There was also a 108% increased in demand for the in-house crisis counseling service operated by BeLonG To and Pieta. This is a free service for LGBTI+ young people who are experiencing suicidal ideation or are self-harming.

The main issues that people presented with were mental health, coming out, gender identity, coming out as trans, and sexual orientation.

According to BeLonG To, these figures highlight the huge impact the Covid pandemic has had on the mental health of LGBTI+ people. It pointed to a survey it had carried out in 2020, which found that 93% of LGBTI+ young people were struggling with stress, anxiety or depression.

"It has been alarming to witness the impact of Covid-19 on LGBTI+ young people in Ireland. Even before the pandemic, this group experienced a significantly increased risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation. The global pandemic has compounded these mental health challenges, and we saw demand for our frontline support services soar over the past 12 months,” commented Moninne Griffith, CEO of BeLonG To Youth Services.

She warned of a “small but loud group of far-right actors in Ireland attempting to undermine LGBTI+ rights and the existence of trans people”, and said that it is “troubling” to see a growth in incidences of hate speech targeting the LGBTI+ community, particularly on social media platforms.

“At BeLonG To Youth Services, we believe true connection exists in a community where young people feel valued, safe and accepted for who they are. In 2020, we supported LGBTI+ young people with nowhere else to turn to for help.

“Our team rapidly responded, providing digital youth work, including online LGBTI+ youth groups along with text, email, and phone support services,” Ms Griffith added.

For more information on BeLong To, click here. The 2020 Annual Report can be viewed here.