Tyde, 20, was assigned female at birth but is in the process of transitioning to male.

He was a few months into hormone replacement therapy when he learned about The BeYou Project – our service that provides safe spaces and support for LGBTQ+ young people – a few years ago.

“I experience anxiety, but having a safe environment where I can make friends with others from the LGBTQ+ community has helped me feel more comfortable. I felt so cooped up before and didn’t realise how much I wasn’t talking to people.

"I felt unable to express myself publicly, but now I feel more confident going outside as myself. It also reassured me that I wasn’t the only LGBTQ+ person where I lived.”

There is no pressure for young people to discuss LGBTQ+ related issues until they feel ready to at our BeYou meet-ups.

Tyde says the atmosphere helped him to recharge, adding: “I enjoy that it’s about being yourself, socialising and relaxing as anything else. If you want to talk about something you’re going through, you can – but there’s no pressure.”