2023 Shortlisted Nominee
Community Organisation Award: LGBT
Switchboard is one of the UK’s longest-running charities serving the LGBTQIA+ communities. As a national helpline, they have around 15,000 conversations a year across phone, instant messaging and email. However you need to reach them, you can. While Switchboard was established in 1974 to provide vital signposting and information to LGBTQIA+ communities, they are a service open to all. Switchboard talks to people from all across the UK, who wish to discuss issues relating to sexuality, gender identity, mental and sexual health, isolation and more. Whether this is a personal challenge or one facing a friend or family member, they are a free, confidential, non-judgmental and non-directive service - they don't tell people what to do. Every call is unique, and Switchboard prides itself on responding to the changing needs of their communities by providing a service that’s continually evolving.