Our Story
Midlands LGBT+ Project is designed to support and provide spaces for LGBT+ adults in Laois, Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath. We host regular monthly social meet ups, peer support groups, pride and awareness events, and support for parents of LGBT+ young people.
Through these activities we hope to help create a well needed sense of community for LGBT+ people in the midlands, and reduce the isolation felt widely throughout the community.
The project also works towards ensuring the wider community is as inclusive and diverse as possible, where LGBT+ people feel safe and can thrive in their communities through LGBT+ Inclusivity and Diversity training for schools, businesses and organisations.
Midlands LGBT+ Project was established in February of 2021 as Laois LGBTI+ Project, but quickly expanded into Midlands LGBT+ Project due to the huge demand we were seeing from people in Kildare, Offaly, Laois and Westmeath. The project started as an idea from Youth Work Ireland Laois, of hoping to reach some LGBT+ adults in Laois, to help them develop a community and network and give them a space to come together but what it has developed into has been that and so much more.
“Seeing people in my area being so comfortable with who they were was an amazing thing for me to keep in mind when those around me weren’t so welcoming.”
“As an older lesbian I have enjoyed the meet ups with the 50+ Group. The kayaking was great fun and so too the painting class. I look forward to more events. I feel supported by this group”
“I have been volunteering for over a year and help to run the Laois Social groups and coffee meet ups. The charity is doing amazing things for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Midlands, focusing on the reduction of isolation and works to build a sense of belonging and inclusion. It has been amazing to be a volunteer over the past year and it so rewarding to give back to the community.”
