YOUNG GLBTQI Australians are using activism to forge strong communities and create a better life for themselves in the face of overwhelming mental health challenges, according to groundbreaking new research.

FROM BLUES TO RAINBOWS The mental health and well-being of gender diverse and transgender young  people in Australia is the first national study of its kind. It is the culmination of months of engagement with GLBTQI young people by a research team at Latrobe University. Far from just identifying prevalence of mental illness amongst the young people, researchers took pains to find out what young people are doing to overcome it.

Researchers found alarmingly high rates of suicidal ideation, depression and anxiety secondary to physical and verbal abuse. They also found a high prevalence of peer support and found that young people who participated in activism (such as attending a march), had a supportive family and school environment experienced better mental health.

The findings of this report will come as no surprise to staff at YSAS Fitzroy residential withdrawal unit who, since 2008 have been running a specialist GLBTQI withdrawal program, a component of which is giving the young people a chance to participate in marriage equality marches.

You can read the key findings of the study here and here and check out this good practice showcase for more about working effectively with GLBTQI young people in AOD settings.