The new website for the BeLonG To Youth Group was launched in their offices on Parliament Street on Monday March 15^th. I attended in my professional capacity along with many other representatives of various LGBT and other youth interest groups from around Ireland. The launch was very well attended, and the Director of BeLonG To, Michael Barron, opened proceedings and launched the site along with all the other BeLonG To Youth Workers. A staff member then did a live “walk-through” of the website, demonstrating how user-friendly it was. The launch was wrapped up by two quick speeches from a couple of the youth facilitators, and then it was time for the refreshments!

BeLonG To has existed in one form or another (first called OutYouth) for nearly 15 years. The group as we know it was formed in 2003, and is currently housed in Parliament Street, with the Sunday Meetings happening in Outhouse on Capel Street. It a fantastic resource for LGBT young people, and has groups in 8 locations around the country-Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Louth, Tipperary and Waterford.

The official blurb for the website states that it aims to be:

 The main information and connection point for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) young people in Ireland. It contains a wealth of information on being young and LGBT – including ‘coming out’, health, getting involved in campaigns, and what’s happening for LGBT young people here and abroad. It also contains up-to-date information about what BeLonG To’s youth groups, and the groups we support around the country, are up to.

The site has some fantastic features, the best of which is the “Emergency Exit” button located in the top right corner of the page. If a young person is perusing the site, and someone comes into the room, they can click it and be brought immediately to the Google homepage, which is about as innocuous a site one can get! Another feature of the site is the “BeLonG To Professional” sub-site which contains information and resources for teachers, youth workers, etc. The new forums look set to be very popular too, having had several sign-ups as soon as it went live!

For more information about BeLonG To or the services it provides, check out: www.belongto.org

Alternatively, email info@belongto.org or call 01 670 6233

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