Nottingham youth charity receives funding to expand services
A Nottingham-based youth charity Base 51, has announced the relaunch of OutBurst, its LGBTQIA+ youth group, with an expanded service starting April 2024.
Funding from Global’s Make Some Noise over two years has allowed OutBurst to continue its services and expand in the community.
For more than twenty years, OutBurst has offered a safe space for young LGBTQIA+ individuals to express themselves, make friends, and engage in various activities, along with receiving one-to-one support and guidance for LGBTQIA+ focused services.
Global’s Make Some Noise raises grants for small charities through radio stations like Capital, Smooth, and Classic FM, supporting hundreds of small charities annually.
This year, they allocated £2.6m for projects in local communities across the UK.
The grant received by Base 51 will fund a counsellor to be present during OutBurst sessions, offering accessible LGBTQIA+ specific mental health support for young people.
It will also allow OutBurst to expand its reach to more LGBTQIA+ youth by extending its age range across two groups: OutBurst Juniors for ages 11-15 on Tuesdays and OutBurst Seniors for ages 16-21 on Wednesdays.
Sessions cost just 50p per person and are held at Base 51’s new location: 4a Peachey Street, Nottingham, NG1 4AN.
Chloe Choong, OutBurst coordinator said: ‘We are very grateful to have received funding from Global’s Make Some Noise as this has allowed us to make some very exciting changes to OutBurst. The OutBurst counsellor will not only allow us to offer more nuanced and in-depth support for our young people but also provide the opportunity for young LGBTQIA+ people to seek support from an LGBTQIA+ specific counsellor. Excitingly, we have also extended our age range meaning that we will be able to offer more long-term support to our young people, both within our youth sessions and on a one-to-one basis.’
