… which translates roughly as “Together. Different. Period!” has always been our motto.

Originally we were founded in 2013 as the “gay-lesbian youth club”, but since then we have evolved into an LGBTIQ*+ Youth Center. That’s because the GAP in Bonn has become a Safer Space for the diversity of sexual and gender identities and lifestyles of our young visitors. And we are aiming for even more inclusivity!

Not just our supporting organization and skilled staff have to constantly adapt to the latest developments inside our diverse communities to better provide the needed security, support and social acceptance. Also for our visitors themselves different worlds and perspectives meet. It is here that the white gay cis guy meets with the straight trans* girl and the genderfluid refugee – and each bring their own colors and experiences to the spectrum of our community.

Our goal is to provide a space for all of them. Physically, though, our space is very limited and also not accessible for people with certain disabilities. We simply don’t have the money to rent a bigger and more accessible space.

That we still manage to provide structures that empower teenager and young adults to thrive despite and because of all their differences and diversity is thanks to the huge enthusiasm of our youth workers. Our growing numbers of visitors is proof of our good work. Our counseling services for different target groups also stay in popular demand.

To make sure that we stay on top of the growing numbers and needs of our visitors we are in need of your financial support.

What do we need specifically?

• When it comes to our counseling services and support of LGBTIQ*+ refugees, there are costs that we cannot or only partially pay for with public finances. These include, for example, costs for interpreters and translations and most importantly costs for psychiatric assessments, which can be instrumental in increasing their chances to stay. These psychiatric assessments can quickly amount to several hundreds of euros.
• The “GAP in Bonn” is not accessible for many people with disabilities and we definitely need more space in general to accommodate for the needs of our growing numbers of visitors. The public financial aids we get are not enough for a higher rent, though! 3600€ is about the amount that the GAP in Bonn would need more annually to realistically afford a bigger space. Every donated amount already helps us now to save money for security deposits, etc..
• While public financial aids currently cover most of our fix costs we still have to provide 15% of our financing ourselves. These are covered by donations, membership fees of our supporting organisation and unpaid volunteer hours. Particularly while the current Corona regulations stay in effect, volunteer opportunities are very limited, though! That’s why we are not only grateful about every new membership application for our supporting organization, but why we can assure you that every donation counts.