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EXIT PAGE LIVE CHAT

lgbtq+ experience engaging with services

What did young people experience when looking for support in services?

Minutes

WHY WE EXIST

Most LGBTQ+ young people we surveyed reported negative experiences when accessing services.

lack of support and discrimination in services:

Most young LGBTQ+ people facing homelessness don’t know that services exist to help them. Those that do seek support from services are often treated poorly.

Read more research on how young people sought support while homeless.

young people felt unsupported and misunderstood by services

  • Less than half (40 %) of LGBTQ+ young people felt that services staff understood why they’d become homeless.
  • Three in 10 (30 %) of LGBTQ+ young people felt like the services they accessed did not understand what to support them with, because of their LGBTQ+ identity.
  • Just one fifth (20 %) of LGBTQ+ young people felt fully supported when accessing services.
  • 30 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people felt that services did not understand

    how to support them because of their gender identity

  • 60 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people felt that staff did not understand

    why they were homeless

  • 80 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people did not feel supported

    when accessing services

young lgbtq+ people experienced discrimination from services:

  • Over half (59 %) of LGBTQ+ young people have faced some form of discrimination or harassment while accessing services.
  • Only one third (35 %) of LGBTQ+ young people recall being asked to provide information about their gender identity and sexual orientation. In turn, just 33 % felt safe to disclose this information.- EMPTHAISE
  • One fifth (20 %) of LGBTQ+ young people had experienced misgendering or dead naming, i.e. referring to a trans person by the name they were assigned at birth) while accessing services.
  • 59 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people faced discrimination or harrassment

  • 20 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people experienced misgendering or dead naming

  • 20 %

    of LGBTQ+ young people were asked about their gender and sexuality

i had a second support worker and she kept misgendering me. when i brought it up, she denied it and got angry with me. i didn’t know how to stand up for myself or raise concerns.
Harry (they/them)

READ AKT’S POLICY BRIEFINGS

akt carries out research and use the data to help inform practical ways that we and other organisations can improve their support of LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness.
READ MORE

related articles:

Other findings from akt on the experience of LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness.