PACE launched its national review of mental health support for LGBT people on August 17th 2009. Commissioned by the National Mental Health Development Unit at the Department of Health - the research will examine what is currently being done to promote better mental health for LGBT people in England.

How you can help:

PACE wants to hear from LGBT people - from all over the country - who have personal experience of struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings and are willing to share their views about what has helped them and/or what could be done to help further.

Please help us, to help others by sharing your experiences, views or opinions about support for suicidal thoughts and feelings

Anyone who is willing to share their experiences of support services can complete the form in a few minutes by clicking on the following link:

Click here to complete the User Suicide Prevention Survey (Link opens in a new window)

Anyone interested in finding out more about the project or find out ways in which you can support the project should contact Tim Franks: Email: tim.franks@pacehealth.org.uk or Phone: 020 7700 1323

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If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings and need someone to talk to right now - you can email: jo@samaritans.org (anytime) or call: 08457 90 90 90 (24hs a day). Samaritans website: www.samaritans.org

Tags: LGBT suicide prevention National Research PACE Research

PACE has been commissioned by the Department of Health to carry out national research into suicide prevention for LGBT people.

We are trying to discover:

• How well mainstream mental health services target suicide prevention work for LGBT people.
• What services are available for LGBT people - both online and in the community.
• What has helped LGBT people when they have been feeling suicidal.

 'We hope to change the way that support is offered to LGBT people in distress'

We need a team of voluntary researchers to give some time over the next two months (August & September) to:

• Contact agencies and send out questionnaires
• Do web based searches and record results
• Enter data from questionnaires

Training will be given and all out of pocket expenses will be re-paid.  For more information or to volunteer contact Tim Franks by:  Email: tim.franks@pacehealth.org.uk or Phone: 020 7700 1323

Tags: LGBT suicide prevention Research National Research LGBT Youth LGBT PACE

During the last 18 months or so, PACE have been busy conducting a ‘needs assessment’ of all young people who have accessed services provided by the PACE Youth Network. The comprehensive ‘PACE Youth Survey’ asks specific questions about how our young users feel about their lives in relation to:

• emotional health and well-being
• family and support networks
• experiences of bullying and discrimination
• exercise, diet, nutrition
• drug and alcohol use
• sexual health and risk of HIV infection

Young people complete an initial youth survey needs assessment form when they first access our youth groups or other support services, and youth workers conduct follow up (or tracking) surveys at regular intervals, while they continue to stay engaged with us. To date, 141 needs assessments have been completed by PACE. Initial results reveal some worrying statistics about how lgbt young people feel at the point of accessing our services, for example:

• 28% have attempted suicide by the time they reach us
• 17% regularly think about harming themselves at point of contact
• 19% are deliberately hurting themselves

In total 34% have attempted suicide, harmed themselves or thought about harming themselves in the 6 months prior to accessing support

• 27% feel isolated often or most of the time
• 20% never or only occasionally feel good about themselves
• 17% never or only occasionally feel confident with other people
• 30% feel worried/anxious often or most of the time

40% experienced negative reactions when they told someone about their sexuality - a significant number have told no one at all

• 25% felt they would be in danger from someone they knew for being LGBT (commonly a family member)
• 21% are being actively bullied at point of contact
• 16% have used class A drugs

In all, 71% of young people who accessed PACE Youth services reported one or more of these indicators of need

We hope to publish further findings from the PACE Youth Survey, on our website sometime during 2009.

Tags: LGBT Youth Research London PACE Youth Network