Risk and resilience: the impact of community programs on LGBTQ youth

Abstract

There is a considerable amount of research suggesting that the challenges faced by LGBTQ youth can severely impact their lives, mental health, and general well-being. However, there still is a gap in the literature that assesses the effectiveness of community-based programs in mitigating the minority stress and risks experienced by LGBTQ youth. This study involves a series of interviews conducted with LGBTQ youth who attend the Open Doors drop-in program at a local Canadian Boys and Girls Club. It attempts to determine predominant stressors, risks, and challenges experienced by LGBTQ youth and to explore how the Open Doors drop-in program has supported and assisted LGBTQ youth in exercising resilience and whether the participants themselves see the program as “successful.”