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GYRO

What is GYRO?

GYRO are award winning LGBTQ+ youth groups for children & young people aged 11-25 years, who may be exploring sexuality and/or gender identity. GYRO has existed in some form since 1976 making it one of the oldest LGBTQ+ youth provisions in the country (as far as we can see)!

We have a group for secondary school age 11-16 years old.

Every Tuesday- 4.30pm-6pm.

We have a group for college age and up for 16-25 years old.

Every Thursday- 5.30pm-7pm.

About GYRO

GYRO offers age appropriate youth groups for children and young people aged 11-25 years old, who are exploring sexuality or gender identity, or identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or (+) another part of the rainbow family.

There are opportunities to take part in fun activities in our weekly drop-in as well as learn about our wonderful diverse community in age appropriate ways or go on trips out or partner with local artists, performers or organisations to provide unique bespoke activities for our community. Some people that attend are quiet and arty and some are louder and performance minded, all personalities welcome!

How will this service help me?

We know our groups can help you grow confidence, self-esteem, self-acceptance, understanding of diversity and difference, become passionate about your community, feel safe and respected. You can make new friends, learn new things, try new experiences and activities designed to be inclusive of your identity.

Attending an LGBTQ+ youth group like GYRO is a great way to feel less isolated, make new friends with similar identities and grow your self-acceptance and confidence.

The hardest part is coming through the door! We know this can be scary but a member of staff will be there to welcome you in and take you to a confidential space to register with us and give you a chance to ask questions.

 

FAQs

Do I have to tell anyone I attend GYRO? +
Your confidential information is important to you and us. We may have to ask for parental consent (if under 16) for you to take part in some of our work. Where necessary we will not mention your identity or the specific name of the group you are accessing.

If we think you are at significant risk of harm we may have to use your emergency contact details too but we would only do this in a way that had your consent. Generally speaking it is up to you if you want to tell anyone you are attending. We encourage you to eventually open up about it as there is nothing to be ashamed of.
What name can I use when attending? +
If you do not use a birth name then you can use a chosen name in our groups. We may need to ask you for your name assigned at birth for our records but this will not be shared with any group members. You let us know which pronoun you would like us to use for you in our space and if you use this outside of our group too.

Will there be other trans or bi people there at my first session? +
It is optional to attend our groups so each week we will not know exactly who is attending, it’s impossible to predict! We usually get a good mix of identities attending our groups.
What if I need 1 to 1 support? +
We offer 1 to 1 support outside of the group space. You can ask a worker for an appointment for support.
I’m not ‘out’ to anyone- can I still attend? +
Our staff know that everyone is at a different stage of their personal journey and are skilled to support you to access group and 1 to 1 support at your pace. We will never force you to do anything but do encourage you to take the leap of faith in us and get in touch. By attending the group you are coming out to everyone in there in some way, we have an unwritten rule that each attendee will respect the confidentiality of each other outside of the group.
What does 'GYRO' stand for? +
GYRO traditionally is an acronym for Gay Youth R Out but these days it is much more than gay youth but we kept the name.

Do I need to make a referral? +
There is no referral needed for GYRO.

Amazing, thank you for the information and support. It's a scary world being a parent to a child with ASD but now I feel there is light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Such a lovely, friendly team. Thank you.

Parent/Carer

I worked with Emily. I enjoyed talking about what's going on in my life whilst it is being fun, it's never 'there's something wrong', it's always 'how do we help you' which I like. Emily is amazing, she's helped me so much and she's just a lovely person!!!

Young Person Aged 15

YPAS was the first organisation that took me in and also the quickest, Sonia helped me get through a very difficult stage in my life and has bettered me as a person. I feel better equipped to deal with situations in life and my mental health has improved overall because of it.

Young Person Aged 20

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Parent/Carer

I felt progression and I found my strength and resilience through the sessions. I am proud of myself for staying strong and showing my commitment through the past months of my sessions. I also gained a handful of coping strategies and I maintained my balance by controlling my worries.

Young Person Aged 18