BeLonG To Youth Services is the national organisation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) young people in Ireland. Since 2003, BeLonG To has worked with LGBTI+ young people to create a world where they are equal, safe and valued in the diversity of their identities and experiences. The organisation also advocates and campaigns on behalf of young LGBTI+ people, and offers a specialised LGBTI+ youth service with a focus on mental and sexual health, alongside drug and alcohol outreach.

Drug and alcohol service:
Our dedicated Drug and Alcohol Service provides a space for LGBTI+ young people to discuss any concerns they have around drug and alcohol use with an expert Youth Worker – the only dedicated LGBTI+ Drug and Alcohol worker in Ireland. The service is free, confidential and non-judgmental. The service is funded by the North Inner City Drug Taskforce. In 2017, the service marked its ten-year anniversary with a Drug and Alcohol Attitude Survey, conducted with 191 young LGBTI+ people. Some 83% of LGBTI+ young people surveyed called for changes to drug laws in Ireland, highlighting the effect of the current drug legislation on them and their peers.

National Drugs Strategy:
In 2017, we worked with the Prevention and Education Focus Group for the development of the new National Drug and Alcohol Strategy - Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery. As Ireland’s only designated LGBTI+ drugs service, we welcomed the announcement of a working group on decriminalisation in the new National Drugs Strategy in July, and the inclusion of the LGBTI+ community as a high-risk group with specific health needs. We continued our work advocating for the development of services that are relevant and responsive to the needs of LGBTI+ young people.