Young peoples’ experiences in education and LGBT+ youth groups: a constructivist grounded theory study

There is a dearth of research exploring the experiences of young people (YP) in community youth group settings (Porta et al., 2017). In this study, five participants aged 14 to 18 were recruited from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) youth groups in the south of England. Intensive interviews were carried out and a constructivist grounded theory (CGT; Charmaz, 2014) analysis was conducted. Participants discussed experiences of being othered and excluded at school, which impacted their mental health and sense of belonging. There were several actions and inactions at a school level which indicated barriers to change and difference, which appeared to be driven by fear. Unmet learning and social needs in school partly influenced YPs’ motivation to attend the LGBT+ youth groups. However, relational empowerment and containment were found in the youth groups and elsewhere, which empowered YP to advocate for themselves and engage in activism on individual and community levels. Despite the challenges faced, participants developed an increasing sense of fluidity and pride. The current findings, combined with the literature, indicate a significant need for greater reflection and training to address the potentially harmful rigidity in discourse and practice around gender and sexuality in the UK. The broader implications for Educational Psychologists (EPs), schools, and wider systems are considered.