ESC: Support the LGBTIQ+ Community in Slovenia

Legebitra is non-governmental, non-profit, humanitarian organization with an official status of organization in public interest on the fields of social protection and health. Its aims are to improve psycho-social welfare and to tackle health concerns of LGBT persons, especially LGBT youth, by offering services to the target population and implementing systemic and structural changes. Legebitra evolved from a project “Volunteer youth and student group: LEGEBITRA” initiated by Student Organization of University of Ljubljana in 1998. In the following years, the project grew from one activity into a range of various activities fully trying to encompass the needs of its primary target group – LGBT youth. In 2001 the organization was officially registered under a Societies Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 61/2006) as a non-governmental organization. Today, Legebitra is a LGBT civil society organization active in the fields of youth, social protection, mental, physical and sexual health, education and human rights. It advocates social and systemic changes based on respect for sexual orientation, gender identity and/or sexual expression. It takes into account the intersection of personal circumstances, such as health, nationality, race or ethnic origin, language, religion or belief, handicap, age, social status, wealth, education or any other personal circumstances. Mission: By continuously providing accessible, confidential and professional services, we provide support and empowerment for individuals, LGBT communities and people living with HIV (PLHIV). Through advocacy, we contribute improving legal protection, increasing the visibility of LGBT people and understanding of the position of PLHIV. By raising awareness of the general and professional public, we contribute to changing our attitude towards our target groups. With all our activities, we help to build a society where every identity is legitimate. Legebitra is one of the most active LGBT NGO in the country. It employs 11 persons and involves more than 60 volunteers working in 4 main pillar programs: 1. LGBT Youth Program, consisting of: a) LGBT youth center; b) Voluntary Work System; c) Living Library Project; d) Filovaje - the Philosophical Project; e) Human Rights Education Activities; 2. Counseling and Support Program; 3. HIV and STI Program; 4. Visibility and Awareness Raising Program; The fist three programs (Youth, Counseling and HIV) operate in the facilities of the LGBT Youth Center in the center of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The 70 square meters big Youth Center is fully equipped and functions as a community center. We renewed it with the generous help of volunteers, adopting the principles of recycling, upcycling and sustainability and we run it as a plastic free, zero waste zone. The community space consist of 3 rooms: 1. Info point with free info-materials, leaflets, postcards, stickers, booklets etc., a computer, telephone and a weekly schedule of activities on the wall; 2. counseling (sound proof) room, with sofas, soft light, a table, chairs and small library, adapted for the purpose of counseling and testing; 3. community room, with tables, blackboards, chairs, couch, a flat screen TV, a small kitchen with microwave, fridge, oven and cattle, free tea, coffee and snacks, a computer, a library and a rich set of table games and materials for creative work. The community space offers a free Wi-Fi, a summer garden in an internal courtyard and a small urban garden. The place is wheel-chair friendly (except the bathroom). Additionally the Youth Center has a small office with a small counseling room, toilet and a storage room. We are opened every working day from 12.00 PM, on Monday till 4PM, on Tuesday and Friday till 6PM, on Wednesday and Thursday till 9PM. From the beginning of January till the end of June 2019 the employees and volunteers of the Youth Center Legebitra have organized 205 different activities (961 hours) for LGBT-youth (from educational, cultural, leisure to spring camp) which were visited by 1.300 young persons. 51% of hours of activities were facilitated exclusively by LGBT youth. The Visibility and Awareness Raising Program operates on another location, in the office building in the center. The place is used mainly for administration of the association, meetings and trainings. Legebitra developed an extensive network of partner and support organizations. Internationaly: IGLYO, ILGA Europe, TGEU, GIOSEF, WFM - Young Women from Minorities, YEN - Youth Express Network, HREYN - Human Rights Education Youth Network. Localy: Transfeminist Initiative TransAkcija; DIH – United under the rainbow; Out in Slovenia – LGBT-sport association; Association for culture of diversity Open; ŠKUC; Pride parade; Slovene Philanthropy; Association for nonviolent communication; Student organization of university of Ljubljana; Peace institute; Network of youth centers Ljubljana ...