Discover how 2BU Somerset is listening to LGBTQ+ young people and using digital youth work to create a safe, inclusive online community where young people can connect, build friendships and find a sense of belonging across Somerset.
Youth work is all about creating opportunities, building relationships and making sure young people have the space, support and confidence to shape their own futures. And sometimes, that means thinking a little differently about where youth work happens.
For 2BU Somerset, that journey began with conversations with young people and grew into an online community shaped by young people, for young people.
From conversations to action
Young people had been telling 2BU Somerset that they wanted more opportunities to connect. Living in a rural county can make it difficult to see friends regularly, and many young people spoke about wanting a space where they could chat, share experiences and support one another throughout the week. They also wanted opportunities to connect with other LGBTQ+ young people from across Somerset, building friendships and a stronger sense of belonging beyond their local area.
Attendance at a Somerset Youth Alliance Action Day helped build momentum. A session on digital youth work delivered by Matt Bakall explored how online spaces can be used to strengthen relationships, foster connection and extend the reach of youth work beyond face-to-face sessions.
Inspired by the possibilities and equipped with practical ideas, 2BU moved forward with plans to create an online community shaped by young people themselves. Discord became the platform for a growing online community where LGBTQ+ young people could connect, build friendships, access support and feel part of something bigger, wherever they lived in Somerset.
A community built with young people
One of the most exciting things about the Discord community is that young people haven’t simply been invited to join something that adults have created. They helped build it and continue to shape it.
Their involvement has been central to creating a space where they want to spend time, connect with others and feel at home.
Young people have influenced everything from the channels and activities available to the culture and community guidelines that help keep the space welcoming and safe. The community includes two separate Discord servers: one for young people aged 13-18 and another for young adults aged 18-25, helping to create spaces that are appropriate to the needs and experiences of each age group.
This approach reflects what good youth work is all about: listening to young people, valuing their ideas and giving them genuine opportunities to influence the things that affect them.
By involving young people in the development of the community, 2BU Somerset has helped create something that belongs to them, rather than simply offering another online service for them to access. Young people continue to shape the space as moderators, peer supporters and active members, helping to create a welcoming environment for others joining the community.
Taking youth work into the digital world
For many young people, online spaces are already an important part of everyday life. Digital youth work offers an opportunity to meet young people where they are, while bringing the same youth work values of positive relationships, participation, inclusion and support into the online world.
For LGBTQ+ young people, digital spaces can be particularly important. Not every young person has access to an accepting community where they live, and some may not yet feel ready or able to attend an in-person group. Living in a largely rural county can also make travel a significant barrier.
The Discord community provides a safe, moderated space where young people can meet others who understand their experiences, share advice, celebrate milestones and find support. For some, it is the first place they have met other LGBTQ+ young people. For others, it is a way of staying connected to friends, peer support and the wider 2BU community throughout the week.
The success of the community shows what can happen when organisations are open to new ideas and willing to explore different ways of reaching young people.
It also demonstrates that youth work doesn’t have to be limited to a physical building. While face-to-face opportunities remain incredibly important, digital spaces can provide another way for young people to connect, feel supported and experience a genuine sense of belonging.
At its heart, the Discord community is about more than technology. It’s about creating opportunities for young people to have their voices heard, develop meaningful relationships and help create a space where they feel safe, accepted and valued.
“Our young people had been asking for a space like this for some time. The need was already there, but the Somerset Youth Alliance Action Day gave us the oomph we needed to make it happen. What we’ve created together is much more than a Discord server. It’s a community where LGBTQ+ young people from across Somerset can connect, belong and know they’re not alone.”
Lisa Snowdon-Carr, CEO, 2BU Somerset
Where Futures Begin
This year’s Youth Work Week theme, Where Futures Begin, is a reminder that youth work can be the starting point for so many possibilities.
Sometimes, it begins with a trusted adult who listens. Sometimes, it begins with a young person discovering a new interest, building confidence or finding a community where they feel accepted. And sometimes, it begins with young people sharing what they need and being supported to make it happen.
What began with young people asking for more ways to connect has grown into a thriving online community that brings LGBTQ+ young people together from across Somerset. It is a powerful example of what can happen when organisations listen, learn and give young people the opportunity to help create the solutions they need.
It’s a great example of how sharing ideas, working together and listening to young people can lead to positive change.
At Spark Somerset, we know how important it is to support the organisations and people who make a difference in their communities. The work of 2BU Somerset shows the value of being curious, sharing learning and having the confidence to try something new.
Because where futures begin isn’t always in a classroom, a youth centre or a community building. Sometimes, it begins online, with a conversation, a new friendship and an LGBTQ+ young person realising they are not alone.
This Youth Work Week, we’re celebrating the people, ideas and opportunities that help young people build brighter futures, in whatever space works for them.
