Question 1

How do I join?

Accepted Answer

Send us a message and we'll get back to you with more information. We'll need to confirm some details before we can agree a start date, so please include your first name, age, and which school year you're in. Please also provide the name and telephone number for an emergency contact like a parent, guardian, or carer. We usually reply within one week.

Question 2

When and where do you meet?

Accepted Answer

We have two groups who meet weekly on Tuesday evenings, and we run throughout the year including most school holidays.

Group 1 - is for those in school years 8 to 10 (ages 12-15) and runs from 5pm to 6:30pm.

Group 2 - is for those in school year 11 and College (ages 15-19*) and runs from 6:45pm to 8:15pm.

We meet in Swindon town centre. You can get to us by bus, or if you're coming by car there's a small car park which is free to use. We don't share our exact location online to keep it a safe space for everyone.

*If you're 18 or 19 then you must be in full time further education to join.

Question 3

What type of activities do you do?

Accepted Answer

Most weeks we'll have table tennis, a games table (Uno is very popular), and we have our own queer library with lots of LGBTQ+ young adult books. We also provide free hot and cold drinks, and plenty of space for a chat with friends.

Some weeks we'll have a special activity or visitor which could include things like:

* Health and wellbeing
* Science and other STEM activities
* Queer history
* LGBTQ+ identity
* Arts and crafts
* Life skills
* Parties

Question 4

How old do I need to be?

Accepted Answer

Group 1 - is for those in school years 8 to 10 (ages 12-15) and runs from 5pm to 6:30pm.

Group 2 - is for those in school year 11 and College (ages 15-19*) and runs from 6:45pm to 8:15pm.

*If you're 18 or 19 then you must be in full time further education to join.

Question 5

Who is the group for?

Accepted Answer

We're an LGBTQ+ youth group welcoming all LGBTQ+ young people, plus those questioning their own sexual orientation or gender identity. We have a diverse group of members.

We're based in Swindon and most of our members are from the town, but we accept members from across Wiltshire.

Question 6

Do I have to pay?

Accepted Answer

No. Our sessions are free to attend, and all activities are free to take part in. We also offer free hot and cold drinks during our sessions, and sometimes we have parties with free pizza too!

Question 7

I'm shy and nervous, is this group still ok for me?

Accepted Answer

We offer a safe space for young people who feel they belong to the LGBTQ+ family. We have a friendly and welcoming group of members, so you can be yourself and meet others like you without having to worry what people might think or say.

We know it can sometimes be scary meeting new people so at the start of every session we all sit together in a circle and introduce ourselves. This is a great way to meet the rest of the group, but if you don't want to speak at your first few sessions then one of our adult leaders can do this for you.

Some of our members like to have a go at all the activities, some like to chat with friends, and some like to sit quietly and read. We have a large space where most activities take place, but we also have a smaller, quieter space for those that need it.

Question 8

Is the group suitable for neurodivergent people?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In fact a lot of our members are neurodivergent, so we have a smaller, quieter space available for you to use if it gets too noisy or overwhelming. We also have lots of fidget toys and games for stimming.

We start every session with a check in circle where we all sit together and introduce ourselves. This is a great way to meet the rest of the group, but if you don't want to speak then one of our adult leaders can do this for you. Or we have a small handheld whiteboard which you can write your name on and hold up instead.

We aim to keep the layout of the room similar each week, and will let everyone know what we have planned for the next few weeks so you know what to expect.

We want everyone to enjoy our group, so let us know if there's anything else we can do to help.

Question 9

How many people are there each week?

Accepted Answer

Not everyone comes along each week, so it varies, but it's usually between 15 to 20 people in each group. Our younger group can have a maximum of 30, and our older group can have up to 40.

We also have several adult leaders at each session who organise the activities and make sure everyone is safe.

Question 10

I can't find my question!

Accepted Answer

Our frequently asked questions include the things we get asked the most. If you have a question that isn't shown here, please check our website, or other useful links on our Linktree page. You can also send us a message with your question and we'll get back to you within a few days.

Find Your Pride. Find Your People.

Swindon & Wiltshire LGBTQ+ Youth

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