'Having somewhere to go where you know you're safe is crucial' – Safe Space Inverness working towards permanent premises in Highland capital after Saturday sessions at Eden Court
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
For the best part of two years, the Inari Collective have been working towards creating a safe space in Inverness for people from vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds.
They have done research finding that there is a demand for such a space, with more than nine in 10 young people (94 per cent) surveyed saying they think it would be beneficial for mental health and wellbeing, and almost as many (89 per cent) saying there is a need for a physical safe space in Inverness for neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ people under 30.
From that, the concept of Safe Space Inverness was born, backed by The Ideas Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Long term, the plan is to provide mental health support as well as social activities such as arts and crafts making, book and film clubs, gaming nights and performing workshops – and branch out to areas beyond Inverness.
The hope is also to have a physical space that will allow for a sensory room, a quiet room and a busier and noisier common room.
Informed by lived experience of their young ambassadors too, for the time being Safe Space Inverness have been holding sessions at Eden Court's community table on Saturday afternoons to both build proof of concept, and consult with the young people they want to help on how to make their vision a reality.
Hopefully, in January, they will be able to move into a more permanent space and start bringing their big plans to fruition.
- RELATED: Why we need to talk about the overlap between autism and LGBTQ+
- Keep up to date with the latest LGBTQ+ news from around the Highlands by signing up to our newsletter, The Queerier
Project leader Anna, a trained counsellor, hopes that the project can eventually be beneficial enough to help ease the strain on other mental health services.
"From my perspective in therapeutic support, the waiting list for counselling and likewise the gender clinic are very long," she said.
"The idea of the safe space was really born out of those clients I worked with, who clearly did not have a space where they could go.
"On top of that, not everyone – especially if they are younger and have had some traumatic experiences – finds it easy to engage with talking therapy.
"There needs to be something that comes before therapy, in a safe environment, with people who can share lived experiences. Having somewhere people can go if they feel overwhelmed, over-stimulated or are in crisis, without being in a formal therapeutic setting but where they can still access some form of help, was the idea behind setting Safe Space Inverness up.
"We know from high level research and also from our own research and conversations with young people that there is a huge need for our service, and we are the only ones that tackle the intersectionality of it as far as I know."
One of the group's peer researchers, Hartlee, said: "Diplomatically, Inverness isn't always the most accepting or safe city – especially for people who are 'different'.
"There is no space that is geared towards neurodivergent people that take into account different stimulations like visual or auditory. Most places are playing loud music, and a lot of places don't cater to LGBTQ+ folks.
"You don't have to just be from one of these marginalised groups – if you need that safe space, even if you're cisgender, straight and completely mentally stable, it's a place to come and sit down, hang out and have someone to talk to."
Fellow peer researcher Hunter added: "Obviously if they have nowhere to go, they are more likely to harm themselves or the environment they're in.
"In Ardersier, things in the village have been destroyed multiple times this year because young people are struggling."
Project ambassador Meadow commented: "I know people who can't get out of their house, because there is nowhere to go in Inverness or it's too far away. We have pubs and cafes, and nothing else where you don't have to spend money.
"On top of that, so many LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent people are in abusive households. It's just a fact – we're more predisposed to being abused.
"For those people, getting out of the house is so important. Having somewhere else to go after school, or having somewhere to go at the weekends, where you don't have to spend money and you know you're safe is so critical.
"When people don't get that, they can end up majorly depressed or hurting themselves. I don't think I know a queer person who hasn't had a bad mental health crisis at some point."
Being able to draw on lived experiences of their young ambassadors and peer researchers means that Safe Space Inverness are starting with a strong concept of what a safe space should look like.
On the other side of the equation, it has also led to some reflection about some of the places available to them in Inverness right now.
"Institutions try their best, but in a way that's not efficient for the people who need it," Meadow reasoned.
"We are informed directly by young people who need our services. We can be told 'this isn't working, you should do this instead' and do it."
Hartlee added: "I feel like one of the best examples currently in Inverness is the cafe Blend.
"They have a pride flag on the wall and little pride flags you can take away with you for free. They are very friendly, chatty and open, but I'm not obligated to talk to them if I don't want to.
"That's one of the key things for a safe space – to feel welcome, and know that you can talk to people and engage socially, or just sit by yourself and know that your identity is going to be respected and loved no matter who you are.
"You have to know that you can remove yourself from it without any judgement, and that mobility aids aren't an issue.
"You can just come as you are and be as you are, and you don't have to pretend to be something that you're not. That's what a safe space for people like me looks like."
