At Encircle, we believe that belonging is more than a feeling, it can be a powerful protective factor for mental health.
Encircle creates welcoming, affirming spaces where LGBTQ+ youth, young adults, and their families can connect, build relationships, express themselves, and experience community. From Drop-In Hours and Friendship Circles to creative programs, community gatherings, and volunteer opportunities, our programs are intentionally designed to create meaningful opportunities for connection and belonging.
Research consistently shows that supportive relationships, affirming environments, family acceptance, creative expression, social connection, and a sense of belonging can strengthen mental health and resilience, particularly for LGBTQ+ young people who experience higher levels of isolation, discrimination, and minority stress.
Encircle’s programming is grounded in Leisure Education and Experiential Learning, two frameworks that recognize the developmental and therapeutic value of meaningful activities, relationships, creativity, and shared experiences. While Encircle’s community programs are not clinical treatment, they intentionally strengthen many of the protective factors research associates with improved well-being and reduced mental health risk.
So, what is actually happening when someone walks through Encircle’s doors, joins a Friendship Circle, creates something during Art Night, shares a meal with other guests, or volunteers in their community?
This research shows why these moments matter: they strengthen the connection, belonging, and resilience LGBTQ+ young people need not only to be well, but to thrive.
Leisure education teaches individuals how to use free time in ways that support well-being, identity development, self-expression, coping, and social connection (Mundy, 1998; Dattilo, 2015). Research consistently demonstrates that meaningful leisure participation strengthens resilience, improves emotional regulation, reduces stress, and increases social support among adolescents and young adults (Caldwell, 2005; Denovan & Macaskill, 2017).
For LGBTQ+ youth and other marginalized populations, leisure-based programs provide important protective benefits because they create opportunities for safe social connection, identity affirmation, belonging, and joy outside of clinical settings (Craig et al., 2014; Fish, 2020). Community leisure environments also reduce barriers to support by offering lower-stigma, relationship-centered engagement opportunities.
At Encircle, leisure education is embedded throughout programming by helping young people and families discover affirming ways to connect, create, rest, and build community.
Experiential learning is the process of learning through direct experience, reflection, connection, and application (Kolb, 1984). Research demonstrates that experiential learning approaches strengthen self-efficacy, emotional regulation, interpersonal competence, and resilience, particularly among adolescents and emerging adults (Bandura, 1997; Durlak et al., 2011; Lerner et al., 2015).
Encircle programs are experiential by design. Youth and families learn belonging, emotional regulation, communication, leadership, and coping skills through active participation in supportive community environments rather than through formal instruction alone. These experiences allow participants to practice social connection, identity development, creativity, and self-expression in real-world relational contexts.
Experiential learning is especially effective for LGBTQ+ youth because it fosters identity exploration, peer support, autonomy, and empowerment while reducing isolation and minority stress (Russell & Fish, 2016).
Encircle Drop-In Hours provide non-clinical, affirming environments where LGBTQ+ youth and young adults can safely connect with peers, supportive adults, volunteers, and staff. Social belonging and affirming connections are among the strongest protective factors for LGBTQ+ youth mental health and are associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide attempts (Russell & Fish, 2016; The Trevor Project, 2022).
According to The Trevor Project, LGBTQ+ youth who have access to affirming spaces report significantly lower rates of suicide attempts. One study found that having at least one affirming space reduces the likelihood of a suicide attempt by nearly 30% (The Trevor Project, 2020). Similarly, LGBTQ+ youth with at least one accepting adult are substantially less likely to report suicide attempts and severe psychological distress (The Trevor Project, 2022).
Research on minority stress theory demonstrates that LGBTQ+ individuals experience chronic stress related to stigma, discrimination, and social rejection (Meyer, 2013). Safe community environments act as protective buffers against these stressors by promoting emotional safety, identity affirmation, and interpersonal trust.
Community-based affirming environments provide neurodiverse and marginalized youth with low-pressure opportunities for social participation, belonging, emotional regulation, and peer connection, all of which are associated with improved psychological well-being and reduced isolation (Allen et al., 2018; Corbett et al., 2017).
Encircle Friendship Circles provide peer-led support spaces organized around identity, orientation, age, and lived experience. Peer support is strongly associated with improved mental health outcomes, particularly for LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults (McConnell et al., 2016; Russell & Fish, 2016; Craig et al., 2014).
Research shows that identity-affirming peer groups improve self-esteem, decrease feelings of isolation, and increase coping skills (McConnell et al., 2016). LGBTQ+ youth who report strong peer connectedness experience lower levels of depression and suicidality even in the presence of family rejection or discrimination (McConnell et al., 2016; Russell & Fish, 2016; Mustanski & Liu, 2013).
Peer-led environments are particularly effective because they normalize lived experiences, strengthen identity development, and increase psychological safety through shared understanding. Studies also show that peer support interventions improve emotional regulation, social competence, and resilience among at-risk youth populations (Craig et al., 2014).
Friendship Circles also align with Positive Youth Development frameworks, which emphasize belonging, competence, connection, and empowerment as foundational developmental needs.
Encircle’s Creative Programs provide structured opportunities for self-expression, emotional exploration, identity development, and social connection through creative leisure activities.
Research demonstrates that arts participation improves psychological well-being, emotional regulation, self-esteem, and social connectedness among youth and young adults (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Creative arts programs support LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse youth by offering emotionally safe, nonverbal opportunities for identity exploration, self-expression, and emotional processing, all of which are associated with improved psychological well-being and resilience (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010; Malchiodi, 2011).
Research consistently demonstrates that music participation can reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms while strengthening emotional expression, resilience, and interpersonal connection (Clift & Hancox, 2001; Daykin et al., 2018; Schäfer et al., 2023).
A 2023 randomized controlled trial found that group singing improved psycho-physiological well-being and strengthened social connectedness among participants (Schäfer et al., 2023). Additional research suggests music engagement supports emotional resilience and community belonging (Feng, 2025).
Arts-based programming improves self-esteem, positive self-image, emotional awareness, and coping abilities in youth populations. Research also demonstrates reductions in distress and anxiety through creative engagement (Black Alphabet, 2023; UNSW, 2024).
Creative programs support emotional regulation by providing safe channels for expression, reflection, and meaning-making. For LGBTQ+ youth, creative spaces often function as affirming environments where identity exploration can occur safely and authentically.
Encircle Family Programs provide education, support, and connection opportunities for parents, caregivers, and supportive adults of LGBTQ+ youth.
Family acceptance is one of the strongest protective factors for LGBTQ+ mental health. Research from the Family Acceptance Project demonstrates that LGBTQ+ youth who experience family acceptance have significantly lower rates of depression, substance misuse, and suicide attempts compared to youth who experience rejection (Ryan et al., 2010).
Even moderate increases in parental support are associated with significant improvements in mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth (Ryan et al., 2010; McConnell et al., 2016). Supportive family behaviors strengthen self-worth, buffer the effects of minority stress, and contribute to long-term emotional resilience (Meyer, 2013; Russell & Fish, 2016).
Family-centered programs improve outcomes for neurodiverse youth by increasing caregiver understanding, reducing family stress, and strengthening family communication and attachment (Karst & Van Hecke, 2012; Brookman-Frazee et al., 2006).
Community meals and family gatherings can also strengthen social capital by reducing caregiver isolation and increasing access to affirming support networks and community connection (Woodgate et al., 2008; Ryan, 2010).
Encircle Community Programs create opportunities for collective celebration, education, visibility, and belonging through events such as community dinners, brunches, and celebrations.
Research shows that community connectedness is a major predictor of psychological well-being among LGBTQ+ populations (Frost & Meyer, 2012). Participation in affirming community environments reduces feelings of marginalization while increasing hope, belonging, and perceived social support (Russell & Fish, 2016; McConnell et al., 2016).
These experiences also counteract the effects of stigma and minority stress by increasing visibility, affirmation, and inclusion (Meyer, 2013; Craig et al., 2014).
For marginalized youth populations, community engagement increases protective social networks and reduces risk factors associated with social isolation and chronic stress exposure (Allen et al., 2018; The Trevor Project, 2022).
Volunteer and Internship Programs provide opportunities for leadership development, mentorship, professional growth, and meaningful community contribution.
Research shows that volunteering is associated with improved mental health, increased purpose, reduced depression, and stronger social connectedness (Jenkinson et al., 2013). Youth civic engagement also strengthens self-efficacy, leadership skills, and long-term resilience (Bandura, 1997; Lerner et al., 2015).
For LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, opportunities to contribute meaningfully to affirming communities strengthen identity integration and empowerment (Russell & Fish, 2016; Craig et al., 2014). Volunteer engagement also increases protective social relationships and promotes confidence in the future (McConnell et al., 2016; Jenkinson et al., 2013).
Internship programs additionally support emerging adulthood development by increasing career readiness, confidence, and practical skill acquisition (Arnett, 2000; Lerner et al., 2015).
Encircle’s programs function as evidence- and community-based protective interventions that strengthen mental health through belonging, identity affirmation, social connection, creativity, family support, and meaningful engagement. Grounded in Leisure Education and Experiential Learning frameworks, these programs reduce barriers to support while fostering resilience, emotional well-being, and protective social relationships for LGBTQ+ youth, families, neurodiverse individuals, and other marginalized populations.
The research consistently demonstrates that affirming community environments significantly reduce mental health risks while increasing protective factors associated with long-term well-being. Encircle’s programs operationalize these protective factors through accessible, relationship-centered experiences that promote safety, connection, and healing.
Ana P. Chavarri serves as Chief Programs Officer at Encircle and has been part of the Encircle team since 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford. Her background and experience inform Encircle’s evidence-based approach to developing programs that foster belonging, connection, resilience, and well-being for LGBTQ+ young people, families, and communities.