Giving LGBTQ+ community leaders and queer activists a chance to reflect, reconnect and reset after Pride season.
Pride has become a fleeting moment of celebration in the calendar for many within the queer community. But for those queer leaders actively driving change it’s a very busy and stressful period. Community leaders and activists give so much of themselves to the season; often sharing incredibly personal stories and experiences - and not always being financially rewarded for doing so. All in the hope of educating and informing wider society on the issues facing our community and to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This pressure to perform and deliver can be exhausting, and more frequently now even leading to burn out. So how can we care for the carers and help them reset after Pride season?
We first need to acknowledge that work within the community doesn’t stop at Pride. Secondly it's recognising that wellbeing and mental health have to become a priority on the journey of any queer leader if we want to make long-lasting impact and change within our organisations and communities. We can't pour from an empty cup as they say.
That’s why we created our post-Pride retreat - to give queer leaders a space to breathe and reflect once Pride season is over. Our bespoke programme offering wellbeing sessions, workshops for reflection and facilitated important conversations; designed to not only help our attendees embed vital self care practices, but also reconnect with themselves and others.
Our retreats take place in beautiful locations within the English countryside, which we strive to make as accessible and safe as possible. This is so everyone who attends one of our retreats gets a true chance to unplug. Not only that, but each retreat is catered with good, nutritional food, so we take care of our attendees both physically and mentally.
These are highly experiential environments, where each person takes away practical and sustainable self-leadership tools for them to become even more impactful. By investing in this kind of support businesses not only become active in their allyship but also demonstrate that the mental health of LGBTQ+ leaders is a priority. It's wonderful to see organisations committed to building a brighter, more inclusive queer future together.
If you would be interested in attending or sponsoring our next retreat (4th-6th July 2022), please get in touch for more information or to receive the full brochure. Please note we also offer subsidised places for those working at charities and non-profits.
Special thanks goes to Pride at JTI and lululemon who kindly sponsored the 2021 retreat. And to Char Bailey and David Kam who facilitated the retreat, Dr Sunni from Dish Dash Deets who provided the wonderful catering, Kiran Kiani who produced our film, and Andrew Urwin who took these photographs.
How else can you get involved?
Our work doesn’t stop at the retreats. We continue to provide support for queer leaders all year round, whether it be through our corporate partnerships or free events within our own global network. So however you choose to engage with us, you’re standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and facilitating actual positive change in the community.