Image courtesy of GUTF.
As the founder of Give Us The Floor (GUTF), it is my privilege to discuss the transformative impact of peer connection and support on 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in distress. At GUTF, we believe that if 2SLGBTQIA+ youth can share freely and safely with peers the difficulties they go through, stigma and taboos are removed. They feel better, can seek help and support, and are able to believe in themselves and in the future.
Give Us The Floor’s model is safe online chat groups of 12 to 15 participants, where youth in distress connect with peers who have experienced similar struggles. Each group is facilitated by a trained youth facilitator and supported by a team of adults with extensive experience in youth clinical mental health. These settings provide not just a forum for expressing feelings but also a platform for shared growth and support. Rooted in empirical research and practical implementation, our model provides a profound insight into the efficacy of peer support in addressing the mental health crises and isolation facing today’s 2SLGBTQIA+ adolescents.
The use of technology is crucial in extending the reach and accessibility of our support groups, enabling us to transcend geographical, social, and physical barriers and allowing us to ensure these groups are safe: 98% of our participants report feeling safe and 93% feel comfortable sharing their personal challenges in the group chats.
Images courtesy of GUTF.
The core principle behind GUTF is the unique therapeutic value of peer interactions – especially for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth facing systemic barriers and stigma. Our model of supportive group chats provides youth with understanding, empathy, and practical support that resonates on a deeply personal level, enhancing participants’ sense of belonging and purpose. There is a double benefit: participants are being helped, but they also get a sense of worth and purpose in being able to help others. This blog I wrote a few years ago explores these benefits in more detail: Teenagers: The Incredible Outcomes Of Helping Others.
The effectiveness of our approach is reflected in our data. After only one month in the program:
- 88% of the participants reported that the group chat had helped with their struggles – 76% say they are not sure or sure they couldn’t have gotten the help from somewhere else
- 84% reported that the group chat had helped them feel less lonely
- 83% reported that the group chat had improved the way they feel about themselves
From an academic perspective, our model aligns with contemporary research emphasizing the importance of social connections in adolescent development. Peer support is shown to buffer stress effects and enhance psychological resilience, crucial for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. Our program facilitates meaningful peer interactions that support these findings.
Key Mechanisms Include:
- Positive Peer Support improves social integration and self-confidence and mitigates transactions between depressive symptoms and peer victimization.
- Sense of Belonging is critical for maintaining physical and emotional health as well as resiliency: “The connection between belonging (or its absence) and suicidality has been established for a number of diverse populations, including young adolescents, college students.”
- The Sharing Effect: knowing that a friend is experiencing the same emotion makes humans feel better than they would if they experienced the situation alone.
- Helping Others builds relationship skills and promotes well-being.
Conclusion
The peer support model at GUTF is more than just a program—it is a vital lifeline that has proven effective in fostering mental well-being and resilience among 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. As we continue to refine and expand our efforts, we believe the insights gained will significantly contribute to academic discussions on peer support methodologies and their practical applications. Further, it can become a model for different populations in need.
I am grateful for the opportunity to share these insights and look forward to engaging in ongoing dialogues and research in this vital area of mental health. For a deeper exploration of our methods and outcomes, please review our full 2023 Impact Report.
Warm regards,
Valerie Grison-Alsop
Founder, Give Us The Floor
Guest post by Valerie Grison-Alsop, Give Us The Floor Founder
Valerie is an experienced advertising and television executive with an entrepreneurial itch and deep expertise in engaging teenagers. After studying teen behavior, reflecting on her own struggles as a young adult, and helping her daughters through those torturous years, Valerie had an epiphany: teens are uniquely able to help each other deal with distress and reduce stigma. She founded San Francisco-based nonprofit Give Us The Floor in 2015 to help teens in distress. Previously, Valerie founded and led StoraLab, a company specializing in online and mobile experiences for teens and tweens. She also created and served as CEO and executive producer of Tipitina Films, a Paris-based joint venture with The Artists Company, an American production company. For more than 10 years, Valerie’s Tipitina Films team produced award-winning television commercials for advertisers, including L’Oréal, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Kraft Foods, and Samsung. Valerie was born to an Algerian Muslim father and a white Catholic mother and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in the suburbs of Paris. She studied physics at the University of Paris Jussieu.
