Good Vibes – YMCA Swansea
The Award Winning Good Vibes’ project is a high achieving, high profile project for young LGBT+ people across Swansea.
There are 632 registered members and a core of between 50-100 weekly regular members. The project supports young people to challenge stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and lobby for equality and find their voice.
Good Vibes has supported young people to value themselves highly and to improve their confidence. Loneliness regularly comes up as an issue for young people during on-going consultations.
We believe that if we can get young people out of their bedrooms and into new social networks, it helps to increase their happiness and reduces isolation. Young people on this project have stopped being lonely, which is supporting their mental health. Meeting other LGBT+ young people can be an invaluable source of support, confidence and self-esteem. Good Vibes provides a safe space, a fun social group and somewhere to make new friends.
The impact of the project has been evident as weekly youth forums continue to grow. This confidential space employs trained and knowledgeable staff and volunteers of varied identities and backgrounds, who are trained in working with LGBT+ young people. They feel a sense of belonging, increased confidence and decide their own destiny, by being fully involved in project planning, delivery and evaluation.
Young people from Good Vibes have been involved in consultations with the Local Authority and Welsh Government Mental Health Champions from Good Vibes are working on national programmes, such as Time to Talk and the #IAMWHOLE Campaign.