Gill Furniss MP Labour Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough
June marks LGBTQ+ Pride month. I recently met with the Charity AKT to learn more about their work to tackle LGBTQ+ youth homelessness.
AKT works with 16-25 year olds in the UK who identify as LGBTQ+ and are experiencing homelessness or struggling with their housing situation. Details of how to refer a young person to them can be found at akt.org.uk/refer
Coming out, or being outed as LGBTQ+, can lead to young people being made homeless. 24% of homeless young people identify as LGBTQ+.
Once homeless, LGBTQ+ young people are more likely to face violence and discrimination than young people who aren’t LGBTQ+. They’re also more likely to develop substance misuse issues and experience sexual exploitation. This can all take a huge toll on someone’s physical and mental health.
77% of the LGBTQ+ young people AKT work with believe coming out at home was the main factor in causing their homelessness and so it’s vital that they are supported in an environment that is inclusive and celebrates their identities in order to improve their life outcomes.