GLYNI – Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland

Visit the GLYNI website for full information about us!

Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland, or as we are more casually known, GLYNI, is a relaxed youth setting, specifically for the LGBT community. We are a group that caters for 14-25 year olds, the youth arm of the Cara-Friend network.

GLYNI was set up in Belfast in 1999 after an increased number of calls to Cara-Friend’s Lesbian and Gay Helplines. The project was funded by Comic Relief, which paid for a worker to get the group up and running. This funding only lasted three years, during which time the members set up a hugely popular website. During the three years, a small volunteering team was established to fulfill the aim of a peer-led ethos, and this still remains through to the present day. We provide services to LGBT youth across the North, and enjoy good working relationships with many community, voluntary and statutory agencies.

We can be emailed using our contact page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Our ethos

We believe that every LGBT young person has a right to exist, but more importantly, has a right, legal and otherwise, to enjoy full citizenship without fear, prejudice, discrimination and bigotry. To this end, GLYNI will endeavour to support you, your families and friends, to advocate on your behalf by highlighting your needs and interests, and involving YOU in decisions and policy-making that affects your life where your sexual identity is used as a barrier against you. Every young person who has come through our doors has been in a similar situation to you, and some still are. We will do what we can to help you, even if you simply want a friendly face.

What we do

GLYNI runs on Monday from 7:30pm – 9:30pm (doors open from 6pm) and Friday nights from 5:30pm – 7:30pm (14-16 year olds inclusive) and 7.30pm – 9.30pm (for 16 and over), and involves self-development sessions, arts and crafts, Pride workshops, residentials, guest speakers and other various events. It’s for young people who identify as non-heterosexual, eg lesbian, gay, bisexual. We also provide befriending and e-mail support service to young people aged 25 years and under throughout Northern Ireland.

Our usual routine would be that Monday nights are devoted to ‘session work’, which generally takes the form of some sort of structured activity, discussion, planning or training. In the past, we have used these nights for things such as training and education on ‘Drugs and Alcohol Awareness’, the development of our ‘What’s in your Closet?’ coming out resource, and organisation and planning of GLYNI itself. There is always something happening on these nights!

Our Friday nights are known as our ‘drop-in’ nights, and these nights are usually more casual, with activities such as computer or board games, arts and crafts, outings to cinema, swimming, or simply just relaxing and having social chat with a cup of tea, coffee or juice for a few hours. We encourage our members to help with the organisation of these nights, so if you have an idea or something you want to do, this is the perfect chance to do it! Recently, we held a ‘GLYNI Gameshow’ night, with teams, a quiz, minigames, and prizes! Nothing is impossible at our drop-in!

Besides our normal activities, GLYNI offers email support and befriending to anyone who requires it. We also get involved in the community where we can, linking with other groups and raising awareness, or fighting on behalf of the community for rights and equality. We have trips and residentials, both educational and fun. Recently, we organised and hosted the first, annual heyNIgh! residential weekend, where LGBT groups from all over Ireland joined us for a weekend in Enniskillen for lots of fun activities, games, discussion, and just making a whole bunch of new friends!

With GLYNI, there really isn’t much we can’t do!

GLYNI exists to provide information and support to any and all young people who are questioning their sexuality. If you feel attracted to other boys or girls, or both, and aren’t sure what to do, have no-one to talk to and just need a listening ear, then we are here to help you. Please email help@glyni.org.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you are interested in joining us, please email befriending@glyni.org.uk or call Steve at Cara-Friend on 028 90278636. We will arrange to meet up with you, have a chat, find out a little about you and help ease any concerns you have about coming to the group for the first time. We understand it is a nerve-wracking first step, especially for those who aren’t out to anyone. We would like to make it as easy as possible for you. And when you get here, one of our expert tea/coffee makers will make a cuppa especially for you… just because it’s you!