GOSHH Youth

🎒 Back to School with Pride! 🌈

As the new school year begins, we're here to support you every step of the way! Whether you're looking for relatable stories or just some feel-good entertainment, we've got you covered with these LGBTI+ media recommendations:

📚 Book: Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith – A heartfelt story about finding your place and staying true to yourself.

🎥 Movie: The Half of It – A coming-of-age tale that reminds us love is more than just a simple story.

📺 TV Show: Big Boys – A hilarious and touching look at friendship, self-discovery, and the ups and downs of university life.

Thanks to the team at UL Student Life for their Viva La V***a Valentine’s Day event today. We had a great afternoon chatting to lots of people about our services.
We’re looking forward to partnering with UL Student Life later this month as one of their Charity Week partners.

The Outing 2024!

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by our information stall or attend our workshop over the weekend at The Outing.
It was great to talk to so many people from the local area as well as others from across Ireland and further afield.
Thanks also to everyone who updated their status at our free drop in testing service.

The dates for next year are already in the diary so after a rest we'll start planning!

On Friday some of the GOSHH team attended the inaugural LGBTQI+ Training Links Conference in Limerick City.
The conference is a collaborative project as part of the Training Links initiative at The Wheel.

GOSHH along with LGBT Ireland, Outwest, TENI, Midlands LGBT+ Project, LINC, Amach LGBT, Outhouse, Outcomers and Gay Project worked together to bring deliver this event to LGBT community groups across Ireland.
It was a fantastic event and we look forward to further collaborative projects in the future.

At the start of the week our Operations Manger, Cillian joined a delegation of people from Community Groups across Ireland on a knowledge sharing trip to Istanbul, Turkey.

As part of the trip, members of the group visited organisations supporting LGBTI+ people and those living with HIV.
The visit also included a presentation on the work of GOSHH to over 100 delegates.

Thanks to The Wheel for organising this event and to STGM Türkiye for hosting the delegation.

Earlier today, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar unveiled a monument to remember and celebrate the lives of all those affected by HIV/AIDS.

The ‘Embraced Loop’ monument is designed to express solidarity with everyone, past and present, who has been affected by HIV and AIDS, to remember those who have died, and celebrate their lives and all who supported them.
It is located in the People’s Park area of the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

It was designed by artists Anaisa Franco and Michael R. DiCarlo. Their design was selected for having universal appeal, and for its creative use of the Red Ribbon associated with HIV/AIDS awareness.

GOSHH CEO, Verena & Operations Manger, Cillian attended today’s event and were joined by Ann Mason former manager of GOSHH (previously Red Ribbon Project) for this historic event which was part of events to mark World AIDS Day (December 1).

GOSHH was part of the Oversight Committee, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, which was established in 2021 to oversee the design and commissioning of an HIV and AIDS National Monument. The competition was organised and administered on behalf of the Committee by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

A massive thank you to staff and students at St Caimin's Community School in Shannon.
Yesterday GOSHH Youth Worker Catherine and Community Development Worker David were presented with a cheque worth €344, with money raised from the school's Colours Day as part of . Thank you for your kindness and generosity!

GOSHH's Catherine is in her element as she delivers another workshop in Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa in Doon. Huge thanks to staff and students for another brilliant session as part of

🌈 Stand Up!🌈
Some GOSHH staff decided to don our rainbow attire this morning as a way to mark
Here at GOSHH, we are always committed to Allyship and Advocacy for the LGBTI+ Community. Let us be a beacon for inclusion and acceptance in the community.

is a time to challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. The theme for this year is Allyship. Check out some of previous posts for some tips on how you can be a better ally.

If you would like to reach out to GOSHH to access any of our services or for any questions on how to be a better ally or how to make your home/school/workplace a more inclusive place please don't hesitate to contact GOSHH on 061 314354 or [email protected]

🌈 Stand Up!🌈
One of GOSHH's Youth Workers, Catherine poses with staff and some students from St. Joseph's Secondary School in Tulla. Catherine delivered a workshop this morning on gender, orientation, and what it means to be a good ally.

Follow along for more posts and to see the work that GOSHH are doing as part of

If you would like to access any of GOSHH's services, or want to inquire about GOSHH facilitating a workshop, please contact 061 314354 or email [email protected]

🌈 It's Stand Up Week!🌈
This week GOSHH staff will be visiting schools all across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary to talk about how we can all challenge homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying, and make our everyday spaces safer and more inclusive.

This week we think about allyship. How can we all be better allies to the LGBTI+ community? How can we incorporate being allies into our lives every day?

Some ways that we can do this include:
🌈 Being willing to listen
🌈 Becoming aware of, and challenging our own prejudices
🌈 Being open-minded and willing to educate ourselves about the experiences of others
🌈 Standing up for and showing support for members of the LGBTI+ Community

If you would like to access any of GOSHH's services, please contact us on 061 314354 or [email protected]

📢 Stand Up Awareness Week is coming!📢
Stand Up Week is a week for us to join together and take a stand against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. Next week, the GOSHH team will be visiting schools and giving workshops on how to be an LGBTI+ Ally and how to make sure that your spaces are safe and inclusive for LGBTI+ young people. Follow along for more Stand Up Week updates.

📢 Calling all trans and non-binary young people living in Ireland!📣
A reminder that BelongTo is doing one of the first studies about people’s experience accessing gender-affirming care in Ireland.
The survey is open to young people ages 14-30.
Closing midnight, THIS SUNDAY, October 15th

The survey looks at the pathways and barriers to accessing gender-
affirming care.
Follow the link to take this anonymous survey today!
� www.surveymonkey.com/r/belongto

🌈 GOSHH Social Groups🌈
GOSHH has a number of different social groups and activities that run on an ongoing basis. If you are interested or would like to take part in any of the GOSHH social groups, please don't hesitate to contact us at 061314354 or by email.

📢 Calling all trans and non-binary young people living in Ireland!📣

Belong To – LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland is doing one of the first studies about
people’s experience accessing gender-affirming care in Ireland.
The survey looks at the pathways and barriers to accessing gender-
affirming care.
Follow the link to take this anonymous survey today!
� www.surveymonkey.com/r/belongto
The survey is open to young people ages 14-30.
Closing midnight, October 15th

Some of the GOSHH team are in Dublin bright and early this morning at the Youth Work Ireland offices. They will be taking part in the "Promising Practices in LGBTQI+ Youth Work' event.
This series of discussions and workshops is part of the Europe-wide project ‘Proud Spaces’ which will evidence the practices, activities and methodologies that help to create safe and inclusive spaces for young LGBTQI+ people.

If you test positive for HIV, you can get essential treatment and care to live a healthy life and prevent transmission to your partners.

For more information, see www.goshh.ie/uequalsu ⠀

*xualwellbeing

Public Health concern over record levels of chlamydia and gonorrhoea in Mid-West

We are encouraging the public to:
· use condoms (or use a condom) and protect your s*xual health
· Avail of free STI home testing at SH24.ie

Public Health HSE Mid-West is appealing to people in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary to protect their s*xual health and to avail of testing, as we are experiencing unprecedented levels of chlamydia and gonorrhoea this year.

According to the latest data*, we are already reporting record levels of gonorrhoea in the Mid-West region. If current trends persist, record levels of chlamydia are likely to be recorded by the end of the year.

In 2022, Public Health HSE Mid-West recorded the highest number of both chlamydia cases (798), and gonorrhoea (188) in the past 10 years. Year-to-date in 2023, there have been 664 cases of chlamydia, and 274 cases of gonorrhoea.

Our key message is for people to use a condom correctly every time you have s*x (oral, a**l, vaginal); avoid s*xual contact if you have symptoms of an STI; and to get tested if you have symptoms of an STI. You should also get tested if your recent s*xual partner(s) have an STI, or if you have new or multiple s*xual partners.

People can avail of free home testing via www.SH24.ie. SH24 testing has accounted for nearly 40% of all positive chlamydia cases in the Mid-West so far this year.

Dr Kenneth Beatty, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, said: “The rising incidence of s*xually transmitted infections in the Mid-West is an issue of Public Health concern. For males and females, chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to painful inflammatory diseases, which can lead to infertility.

“An individual, behavioural response is needed to protect ourselves. Wearing a condom correctly and availing of frequent testing is the most practical way to prevent future infections and to protect your s*xual partners. Free contraception is available to 17-30-year-olds, and SH24 home testing is also free for everyone.”

Dr Patrick O’Donnell, GP with HSE Social Inclusion CHO3 & Associate Professor of General Practice at University of Limerick, said: “Testing for s*xually transmitted infections is now even easier with the availability of the home testing programme. These curable conditions can be present for a period of time without a person realising it. There are easy treatments and supports available to a person if they have been diagnosed with a s*xually transmitted infection. If you need further advice you can speak to your GP, practice nurse, s*xual health clinic or go online to www.s*xualwellbeing.ie.”

In summer 2023, HSE Mid-West established its first ever Regional Sexual Health and Wellbeing Committee, to tackle rising levels of s*xually-transmitted infections and to improve s*xual wellbeing in the Mid-West region. The committee comprises expert membership from a wide range of disciplines, including community outreach, acute clinical, nursing, Public Health, and communications. It will convene its second meeting in Q4 2023.

More information is also available at GOSHH.ie or contact us by telephone on 061 314354