Allsorts

Another of the recipients of Brighton Yoga Foundation’s Small Grants Programme was Allsorts - a youth organisation for LGBTU young people in the city. They wanted to provide a yoga class taught by an LGBTU teacher exclusively for LGBTU young people.

LGBTU youth disproportionately suffer with poorer mental health and experience significant barriers to engaging with mental health support, as well as well-being and sport/fitness activities which could be hugely beneficial, due to fear of (and actual) prejudice and discrimination, as well issues related to body dysphoria, particularly in relation to trans identities. These yoga sessions offered our young people an opportunity to try a new, physical activity and chance to improve their wellbeing through mindful movement, with a teacher who fully understood the complexities and challenges of ‘being in the body’ for a number of our trans young people

The grant was able to provide for a programme of six yoga classes on site as part of their drop-in sessions. Altogether some 22 young people participated in some of the yoga sessions.

The young people fed back that they found sessions both fun and relaxing, while being very beneficial for their mental health and wellbeing, helping them to feel more centred and connected to their bodies in a new and positive way.

  • 100% of young people found sessions easy to access and inclusive.
  • 100% of young people found the teacher was approachable put them at ease
  • 100% of young people said sessions helped them feel more relaxed

And perhaps most significantly, some 90% of young people said they thought they would continue to practice the yoga they learnt during the sessions in their own time.

(https://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk)

Allsorts Youth Project listens to, supports & connects children & young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure (LGBTU) of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.