We are looking for LGBTQI+ people aged 18-24, living in England or Wales, to take part in this research. For the pilot workshop we’re expecting most people to live, work, or study in and around Sheffield.

We’d love to hear from everyone. We are looking to hear from a diverse range of people, particularly those whose voices/experiences are often marginalised in academic research on LGBTQI+ lives: trans people, disabled, working class and racially marginalised queers, and LGBTQI+ people who live in rural areas/small towns.

You do not have to be ‘out’ to participate in this research as it can be totally confidential.

The pilot workshop will be taking place in Sheffield on Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February. If you are selected to take part we will send you specific details about the location.

We will be holding the rest of the workshops around the UK (more info on locations soon) and also online for anyone unable to join in person. They will be taking place from March/April 2026 onwards.

Participation will involve two group workshops, where we’ll cover a variety of topics around wellbeing and how you are thinking about and navigating the future, personally and collectively. We’ll talk about: who and what have shaped your wellbeing in your life so far; what kind of future you imagine, want, or hope for yourself; and create collective stories about possible futures where LGBTQI+ lives can flourish.

The workshops will involve a mixture of group discussion and creative activities. For instance we might do mindmapping in groups about our histories and wellbeing in the past; make individual collages about our future hopes and fears; and finish by creating a collective digital story or zine.

No prior experience in creative activities is necessary! There will always be options for involvement and you’ll only do what you’re comfortable with. There will be no pressure to do everything, or share what you make with everyone else.

We hope this workshops will be fun spaces where you’ll be able to meet and hear from other LGBTQI+ young adults.

The pilot workshops will run pretty much the same as the later research workshops, but we will be testing out some of the activities with you, and asking you for some feedback along the way. That’s a great opportunity for you to get involved if you have an interest in academic or creative research methods and want to learn more.

With your consent we will treat the findings from the workshop the same as the others – i.e. use it in our analysis and any findings. You will also be paid the same and have the same opportunities to get involved as later workshop participants.

All participants will receive a £120 voucher as a small token of appreciation for their time.

There is also the possibility to be involved in the research as a ‘peer researcher’, with opportunities to develop your research, presentation, and creative skills. We’ll have individual conversations with you if there are any skills you’d like to use or develop throughout the workshops.

These workshops are an opportunity for LGBTQI+ young adults to have a voice and a say in the decisions that are being made about them and their wellbeing. We will also be connecting with young people across Europe, so you will also be able to hear more about their lives and share your experiences with them.

If you need to travel to the workshop we will pay for your costs and will provide lunch and snacks on the day!

The Sheffield workshop is taking place in a room that is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing loop.

We will check in with you before and during the workshops about any accessibility needs, as well as to work with you to make participation as comfortable and easy as possible!

We will also give you as much information as possible about what to expect on the day so you are prepared.

At the beginning of the workshops we will develop guidelines as a group for how we will create a space that works for everyone.

There will also be some workshops online if you’d be unable to participate in person.

Your participation in this research would be fully confidential and your data will be protected.

The only reason you would not is if i.e. you chose to co-write an article with us or be more involved as a public-facing ‘peer researcher’. We will discuss this option with you further.

This project has been ethically approved by the School of Geography and Planning at the University of Sheffield.

We anticipate there will be a few different next steps for the research, and we will talk more about this before and after the workshops. There will also be the opportunity for you to get involved with them as a ‘peer researcher’ too - so if there is any aspect of this you’re particularly interested in you should let us know!

The outcomes of and ways we use the the research findings might include:

• Conferences, in person and online, as well as a chance for participants from each country to meet and discuss their experience/findings

• Policy papers, briefings, and toolkits on LGBTQI+ youth wellbeing, on a national and European level

• Toolkits and educational resources for LGBTQI+ youth charities, NGOs, service providers, and grassroots organisations

• Public engagement including podcasts, expanding this website, and possibly an exhibition too

• Research journal papers and book chapters

Go to the bottom of this page where there is a link you can follow to our sign up form! More information also found through that link and on the rest of the website.

Need more information, need the form in a different format, or some assistance filling it in? Contact Ames: ames.clark@sheffield.ac.uk