URGENT APPEAL
Think2Speak are facing closure without your help.
“Without your support, we would have been lost.”
*Content warning: suicide, death, hate crime and transphobia.
We HATE asking for money. If we had a way to avoid it we would, but unless we get funds, Think2Speak will have no choice but to close.
One of our main areas of support is to families and young children struggling due to their mental health being impacted by transphobia. If Think2Speak closes, that's another avenue for help gone. We hope that people understand that this is because we know how much our organisation is needed. Trans kids are more vulnerable than ever.
Over the last 12 months Think2Speak have had over 7,900 requests for help, and worked one to one with 2,788 people - a 25% increase over the last year.
What is happening on the ground?
We are experiencing a rise in demand which is perhaps unsurprising given the recent escalation of hate crime and the negative (and frankly heartbreaking) impact that the hostile media and government attacks are having on the families we support.
2 weeks ago, within 24 hours we had three young people attempt to take their own lives, and another family had bricks through their windows daubed with a transphobic slur.
Over the last eight years we have helped thousands of young people and their families to navigate the challenges they face.
However, our ability as an organisation to provide the vital support which is needed is being threatened due to a lack of funding.
The government is targeting trans people, and the media is pushing an agenda of hate. Trans rights, healthcare, and body autonomy are being stripped away.
How do Think2Speak combat this?
Think2Speak focuses on providing group, individual, and therapeutic support, training, education and resources for young LGBTQ+ people and their families, with a primary focus on transgender young people.
We offer individual and family group counselling sessions, online support across the country and in-person support through our peer support groups in Lincolnshire, as well as residential weekends for all the family. In addition, we provide training, support and resources alongside consultancy and CPD training for professionals across every sector to plan, deliver and embed LGBTQ+ inclusive policy and practice within their organisations.
Trans young people and their families are struggling. We need to be here to help them, not only through our range of services including therapeutic support, but also by speaking out against the injustice, prejudice and hate, something that is more important than ever as those in positions of power seek to further marginalise the community. Exacerbated by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, we have seen demand escalate as people struggle.
As tensions rise and the discourse around trans people becomes increasingly negative, we exist to support this vulnerable group of children, young people and their families, whilst promoting trans rights and equipping professionals with information regarding their duty of care.
We are supporting the families as best we can, but we are struggling to keep going.
The multitude of direct support services we provide are desperately needed, however funding is difficult to obtain and we will have no choice but to close unless we can find emergency funds.
We need Think2Speak to be here for all those families and young people that rely on us.
What people say:
'you are one of a kind, an organisation without judgement but with massive experience, empathy and expertise. We really need you. Thank you Lizzie and the team for everything that you do.'
'I enjoy Think2speak and have made new friends.'
'Before we found Think2Speak my sons world was so lonely. He has Autism and this, combined with his LGBTQ+ identity meant that in our small town he didn’t fit in anywhere. Since we found you he has a safe place where he belongs. He has a small social circle of young people he has met through the youth groups and the growth in his confidence and emotional well-being is incredible.'
'Amazing support for young people and their families. Has saved our child's life.'
'I enjoy hodgepodge meetings. I have made a friend. I like that it gets me out of the house to do other things.'
'Without your support, we would have been lost. Over the past year, my child has grown noticeably more confident and thrives in the company of peers facing similar challenges. As a parent, I find this community invaluable. Simply listening to the experiences of others serves as a comforting reminder that we're not alone on this journey. Your steadfast support has been our one constant beacon of hope and guidance.'
Please help us.