In 2022, Belong To’s School Climate Survey revealed that 76% of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school, with 86% feeling isolated by other students. However LGBTQ+ young people who felt supported by school staff were 35% more likely to feel accepted by other students.
This research has been essential in our work in advocating for the needs of LGBTQ+ young people in policy and legislation. The findings of this valuable work has ensured that LGBTQI+ young people in Ireland have their voices heard and in turn the results have been featured in a variety of media, published in school textbooks in Ireland and shared with powerful decision makers at a government level.
Belong to are launching the research again this year to find out whether anything has changed in Irish schools, to best support LGBTQ+ youth through training and support services.