LGBT Coming Out Youth Event

Rochdale and District Mind: Listen Up Project: LGBT Coming Out Youth Event

Rochdale and District Mind ‘Listen Up’ Project, in partnership with LGBT Youth North West and Backdoor Music Project celebrated Coming Out day on Thursday 9 October 2014. The celebration event for young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) young people and their friends was held at St Chads Church Hall, Rochdale and was attended by 20+ young people aged 14-22 years from across the Borough of Rochdale.

This is the second LGBT youth gathering held in the Borough hosted by Rochdale and District Mind’s Listen Up Project who recognise the importance of providing support to LGBT young people in the Borough.

The event was a mixture of live music, singing, dancing and games, with food provided by LGBT Youth North West Sydney Street Café. Backdoor Music Project provided a DJ for the event and equipment for three live music performances by attendees, which were all well received.

John Swallow, Listen Up Project worker who coordinated the event said: “It’s not always easy growing up in Rochdale for young people who are LGBT, so Rochdale and District Mind run events like these just so young people know that if they ever need to talk to someone then The Listen Up Project or LGBT Youth North West are here for them.”

Clíodhna Devlin, from LGBT Youth North West, said: “It was so lovely to meet such a talented bunch of young people! And a really great chance to talk to them about the work we are doing with young people here in Rochdale and Heywood.”