Our History
In October 1999, Allsorts Youth Project was founded by Jess Wood and James Newton to meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans youth in Brighton and Hove. Since November 2000, the project has received funding from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Comic Relief, Brighton and Hove City council, Connexions, PCT, Volunteering England, Pride, Awards for All, Youth Opportunities Fund, Big Boost, Children in Need, v-involved, Big Lottery Fund and other funders.
We provide a variety of services for LGBT young people and we are staffed by a part-time Project Director, a team leader, two part-time Youth Support Workers, a Youth Volunteering Development Worker, three peer support workers, a part-time administrator and a team of 25 volunteers. A Teen to Adult Personal Advisor has been seconded to the project full-time from CAMHS.
An average of thirty young people attend our services and an average of eight young people currently receive one-to-one support each week either face-to-face, by phone or email.
Our Purpose
Allsorts works to raise awareness, promote good practice and facilitate the creation of safer and more supportive environments for LGBT young people in the wider community by:
• Supporting vulnerable, alienated or marginalized young people in Brighton and Hove and the surrounding area who are LGBT or unsure of their sexuality and/or gender identity
• Delivering peer led homophobia, biphobia and transphobia awareness and anti-bullying workshops in schools, colleges and youth organisations
• Providing training for adults and agencies working with young people
• Providing promotional and educational materials (booklets, toolkits, stickers, posters etc)
Key Partners and Networks
CVS (‘third sector’) – VCSF; BME Young People’s Project; Young People’s Centre; Youth Advice Centre and Hove YMCA; Equalities Coalition; Spectrum; MIND-out and Switchboard; THT South; Trust for the Study of Adolescence; Consortium; LGBT youth projects; Working Together Project; Pride in Brighton and Hove; Global Exchange.
Statutory – PCT HIV Prevention Strategy Group; CHAPS sexual health practitioners group; PCT Suicide Prevention; NHS Claude Nicol; CAHMS; Early Intervention Psychosis Service; Health Promotion; Sex Exploitation group. Healthy Schools Team; PSHE Consortia members; Anti-LGBT bullying Working Party; RUOK Drugs and Alcohol Service; B&H LGBT Housing Group; Connexions; Anything But… LGBT youth project, Hastings Youth Service; V-Involved Regional network. SE Participation Workers Network (SWPWNE). Staying Safe (Local Safeguarding Children’s Board sub-group); Sussex police (LGBT Liaison Officer); Partnership Community Safety Team; Same Sex DV Forum; University of Brighton: CUPP, CMIToo and West Sussex LGBT Youth Training; Community of Practice resilience therapy project; lecturing on youth work and social workers courses; stall at Fresher’s fairs; University of Sussex Unisex Project.
Schools and colleges: Blatchington Mill, Dorothy Stringer, Varndean, Hove Park Lower, Longhill, Patcham High, Ceder Centre (ACE), Balfour Primary, Middle Street Primary; City College and Sussex Downs.
Other– Football Association (F.A.) Tacking Homophobia Advisory Group and Justin Campaign