Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard was founded in 1975 and has been providing services to the LGBT community in Brighton and beyond ever since. Originally operating as a helpline Switchboard has expanded over the years to include a face-to-face counselling service and to provide diversity, awareness and LGBT affirmative practise training to local organisations.
Our mission is to “listen, support and inform”. Whether you have a straightforward question about the scene, local groups or services for LGBT people or a sexual health enquiry we aim to answer your questions directly giving you accurate information or put you in touch with an organisation that has more specific expertise. It may be that you have a personal difficulty and want a listening ear and emotional support and you may need the opportunity to explore your difficulties in more depth.
Our helpline is available every day from 5pm. Our counselling service is available by appointment with a sliding scale of charges to ensure accessibility regardless of income. Counselling appointments are available during the day, the evening and at weekends and we will try to match your schedule as closely as possible.
We train all of our helpline volunteers and our LGBT counsellors in the following important areas:
- Mental Health Awareness
- Trans Awareness
- H.I.V. Awareness
- Suicide Intervention
- Sexual Health
- LGBT Hate Crime – Supporting and Reporting
If you have witnessed, or been the victim of, an LGBT hate crime our helpline can provide you with immediate support, both emotionally and with the practicalities of dealing with what’s happened. We can help you to decide whether, and how, to involve the police, and we can report the incident confidentially on your behalf – even if you wish to remain anonymous.
As well as calling the helpline, you can use the links on the right to find out more about issues that effect LGBT people.