The findings of our Community Feedback Survey 2021
We conducted our annual service evaluation in late 2021 to find out more about who used our services (online and in person) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and what you think of them.
291 community members at LGBT Health and Wellbeing took the time to tell us what they thought about our services.
You told us what you gained using our services:
“I’ve made new connections with people, have gained the confidence to be more open about who I am, and just in general feel much more connected and part of the LGBT community overall.”
“Being connected with others like me, not feeling judged for who I am. Having been in the closet for decades I’m coming out slowly but surely.”
“Friendships, fun and strong sense of solidarity in times of worry and difficulty. Social spaces have brought me comfort, joy and a place to be reminded that my identity is wonderful, cherished and evolving.”
“A feeling of comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in what I’m going through. The chance to speak to someone who has gone through similar struggles and can be empathetic, not only sympathetic.”
“All in all, my engagement with LGBTH&W has really been tremendously beneficial – helping me navigate through a really challenging time in my life.”
Key Findings
- 87% of you rated our staff and volunteers as very good or excellent
- 84% of you said that you found the quality of our services excellent or very good
- 84% of you rated your overall experience with us as very good or excellent
The difference LGBT Health and Wellbeing has made to you
- 77% reported feeling less lonely after engaging with our services
- 73% of you felt more connected to your community through LGBT Health
- 72% of you feel more aware of services
- 70% of you report that you have better mental and emotional health
What you enjoy and value
“Having connections to parts of the community I’ve had little contact with – being able to hear people’s experiences, see/hear their art, etc.”
“Being able to attend online events is definitely helping me cope with the isolation my chronic illness & shielding cause.”
“Feeling accepted for who I am, not having to justify my presence in LGBT spaces. Opportunities to expose my child to LGBT people and families.”
- Social connection with your community throughout the pandemic
- The sense of belonging and pride
- Welcoming, accepting and safe environment
- The opportunity to make LGBT+ friends
- Access to educational resources and community conversations
- Our approach to accessibility
Your suggestions for improvements and our response
We are aware that at the start of the pandemic all of our services moved very quickly to online delivery. This has been a learning curve for all of us, and whilst this has opened up some new opportunities, we realise that for some this has meant that they have not been able to connect with us as before.
Now that restrictions are easing we are now able to look forward to the range of services that we can provide longer term.
- A return to in-person services
There were many requests for a return to in-person events and services. Now that the Scottish Government have published their strategy for living with the virus, we’re looking forward to introducing more in-person events in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We’ll continue to deliver online services to reach those who are unable to attend in-person to ensure people continue to feel connected to their community.
- Publicity, Promotion and Access
Many of you highlighted some logistical issues with accessing our website via tablets and mobile phones. We are continuing to work on the accessibility of the website and we have already made some practical changes to this
We are aware that some people felt that some of the events we advertised too close to the date they were happening – as a team we will continue to look at how and when we promote our events.
Thank you for completing our survey
Our teams are now reviewing all the detailed feedback you gave us and this will be really helpful in shaping our plans going forward. As we do we will continue to seek your views on how you experience our services. This will help us continue to shape our services for the future. Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback.
