now available: Give us the floor app 2.0
Give Us The Floor (GUTF) Expands Age Range and App Features to Enhance Support for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth In Distress
As of August 2024, GUTF’s free mobile app now serves young adults up to age 24 with our safe, anonymous peer support community. While the organization has provided a space for queer youth ages 13 to 19 to find a supportive community since 2015, this expansion allows GUTF to serve an even greater number of youth in need, particularly those who do not have access to local services and resources.
Expansion to Broaden Reach and Enhance Community Engagement
While the prior version of the app focused on small, peer-led group chats, the new version now also includes topic-specific channels, allowing users to engage in conversations about issues they are passionate about or need support for with a larger community. These channels will address various topics, such as identity exploration, mental health, relationships, and more, broadening the spectrum of peer-led discussions available to users.
Keeping 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth Safe
GUTF is designed to ensure participant safety and to trigger life-saving interventions when a crisis is detected. Community Rules are strictly enforced, which include restricting participants from sharing personal identifying information that would compromise their anonymity. In addition to moderation and reporting by trained youth facilitators who monitor the small group discussion spaces, all participants are also asked to use the app’s accessible reporting feature if someone does not respect the rules or if a member is in crisis. A team of Community Care Specialists with clinical mental health experience follows a strict protocol when a report is received or a crisis is detected. As a result, GUTF offers one of the few online spaces that is truly safe and supportive for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, with a lifelong positive impact on youth in distress and life-saving interventions.
Peer Support: An Evidence-Based Approach to Mental Health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 37% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with 19% having seriously considered attempting suicide. Peer support resources like GUTF provide an accessible and relatable way for youth to share their struggles, reducing the isolation many feel.
A growing body of research backs the effectiveness of peer support in improving mental health outcomes. One study published by the American Psychological Association highlights that adolescents who participated in peer support groups reported lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to those who did not. Moreover, peer connections are particularly impactful in fostering emotional resilience among marginalized groups, including 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, who face higher rates of mental health challenges than their peers.
However, it’s important to note that while peer support is a valuable resource, it is not a replacement for professional therapy. Give Us The Floor complements, rather than replaces, traditional mental health care, offering a space for connection and support while encouraging participants to seek professional help when needed.
GUTF’s Impact: A Life-Changing Approach
Founded in 2015 by Valerie Grison-Alsop, GUTF has built its reputation on fostering safe spaces for young people to share their experiences and receive support from their peers. By extending the age range to include individuals up to 24, GUTF will offer continued support for young adults in the critical adolescent phase, a time often marked by significant life transitions and mental health challenges.
Since launching in 2015, Give Us The Floor has served over 15,000 young people. In 2024, participants reported that after just one month:
83% felt less lonely
78% were helped with their struggles & experienced improved wellbeing
77% felt better about themselves
The Future of GUTF
As GUTF expands its age range and enhances the functionality of the free peer support app, the organization is poised to reach more young people during one of the most challenging periods of their lives — and in a time of increasing isolation and discrimination across the nation.
"For 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in distress, finding a space where they truly feel understood and accepted is life-changing,” Give Us The Floor Founder & CEO Valerie Grison-Alsop says. “Peer support is essential because it provides a sense of belonging and validation. When young people connect with peers who share their experiences, they're not just receiving support, they're building resilience and realizing they're not alone and have the power to help others, giving them purpose."
Give Us The Floor’s success is driven in part by its partnerships and the generous support of grant funders and individual donors. These collaborations and support help ensure that the organization can continue providing and expanding its free services to young people. By widening its reach and deepening the app’s capabilities, Give Us The Floor continues its mission of empowering youth to navigate their mental health challenges, build resilience, and create a sense of belonging—one peer-led conversation at a time.
