At Vibe, we work together. With you, with our youth workers and with our partners. We run inspiring and inclusive clubs, activities, and programmes that help you to build positive relationships with yourself and others, helping you to make a positive impact to your community.

Support

In an emergency always call 999

or the NHS helpline on 111

Stories and Insights from Our Young People

  • • Ways you can cope- spend time with pets or animals, explore nature, engage and build yourself a supportive community. All of these things can be good for emotional support and just to help ease nerves during the holidays.

    • Reaching out to charities such as: Samaritans(call 116 123), SHOUT (call 85258), Stonewall (call 0800 0502020) and LGBT Switchboard (call 0300 330 0630) , who all offer help for people struggling with things to do with gender identity, sexuality or even just dealing with coming out or a lack of acceptance from individuals in your family.

    • It is important to remember you should not change for someone just because they don’t accept you. Always be true to yourself because it can significantly effect your mental health and well being in general.

    • You may also at some point need to de-escalate conflicts, it is important in these situations to remain calm and not start a fight as that could worsen your situation.

    • For gender non-conforming people in particular Christmas can be very hard especially if they are not out, but there are ways to get around it, such as: educating others, making sure people are aware of your gender identity, introducing yourself with your pronouns e.g. “My name is Libby my pronouns are she/her” and correcting mistakes in if someone does misgender you

  • Loneliness can be a huge issue for young people, and even moreso over school holidays, since they aren’t seeing their friends in school.

    A good way to try and be less lonely might be to find a hobby which you enjoy, either by yourself or with others, or if possible try to meet up with friends from school. For some people (but not everyone), spending time with family can also be a good way to decrease loneliness.

    Most importantly though, try and find someone to speak to about it - whether friend or family - as they may be able to offer solutions specific to you (they know you best after all!)

  • ❗ Smoking, drinking, drugs, and sharing explicit photos are tough topics, but they’re real pressures many young people deal with—especially during this time of year. Mary wants you to know:

    💬 You don’t have to say yes. It’s okay to set boundaries and walk away from situations that don’t feel right. Protecting yourself is always the most important thing.

    💬 Be confident in your decisions. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. Real friends will respect your choices, even if they’re different from theirs.

    💬 Think before you act. It can be hard to say no in the moment, but remember, your future self will thank you for making choices that align with your values.

    💬 You’re not alone. So many people face these pressures, and it’s okay to reach out for support if you feel overwhelmed.

    Your worth isn’t defined by fitting in or saying yes to things you’re uncomfortable with. This season, prioritize YOU and your well-being. 💖