P3 releases Short Stories Collection marking LGBTQ+ History Month

The experiences featured here are a composite, drawn from real lives and shared truths.

Together, they reflect moments of connection and moments of struggle, reminding us that while progress has been made, social barriers and inequality still shape the everyday reality for many LGBTQ+ people. To read our full collection, visit p3charity.org

Alicia’s Story

Alicia is a Senior Wellbeing Worker for P3’s BeWell programme in South Derbyshire. She looks after Chestnut Place, one of P3’s supported accommodation units in the region.

Describing her role, Alicia says, “We provide wellbeing support to individuals in the community to help them live independently. This involves anything from medical appointments, picking up medication, food shopping, personal care plans... lots of different things. It’s all person-centred.”

Alongside her role at P3, Alicia is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and uses her own experiences to confidently and compassionately help the people she supports to navigate questions around identity.

“I’m gay, so the LGBTQ+ community is important to me on that level, but I was also brought up a Catholic, so it took me a while to come out as it was frowned upon in the religious group I was involved with.”

Alicia adds, “I didn’t come out until [I was] 20, as I definitely didn’t feel as comfortable [growing up] as I should’ve. Having not been welcomed with open arms by family and friends, there was stigma around me being my authentic self.

“[Trying] to work out the feelings was hard, especially not being exposed to any form of LGBTQ+ community. I didn’t have anyone to sort of ask questions to. I just didn’t know anybody who was gay – a very different community to the one I grew up in.”

Despite feeling isolated because of her identity, Alicia enjoyed school. She says, “I loved school, to be honest, but I felt really different. I was popular. Not in a ‘popular kid’ kind-of-way, but in a speaking to everyone kind-of-way, just because I talked to everybody.

"Looking back, I think that was because I felt like I didn’t fit in so I was always searching for someone I could relate to. I loved school, there was nothing wrong with it, there just wasn’t that representation where I felt I could reach out.”

Alicia talks about what representation means to her as an adult, saying, “I’ve felt that being in my role – when appropriate – I can branch out and let people know that I belong to the [LGBTQ+] community as well.

"I’ve then seen a huge increase in engagement and that person feeling more relaxed. There is a sense of safety then when it comes to asking questions, simply removing that feeling of being isolated.

“Being represented myself, it’s really helped how I provide support. For example, we [currently] support someone who is non-binary and they’re very confident in themselves, but they feel very isolated.

"By being able to say to them ‘you’re not alone’ and saying that ‘I am a part of that community as well’, it was an opportunity to find other support groups for that person to be involved in their local community.

"In fact, that person is now a rugby coach specifically for other non-binary people.”

Alicia explains that this feeling of isolation is heightened in rural communities. She says, “I can think of a couple of villages where everybody knows everyone. [P3] supports [people with their] mental health, so the people we support [can] already feel isolated as they are ‘different’ to their neighbours and their friends.

"Having something additional [that makes you feel different] such as your sexual identity is even more of an isolation to them.”

Alicia talks about how P3 encourages colleagues who aren’t in the LGBTQ+ community to learn about history and culture.

She says, “I think being interested and learning a little bit about somebody else only brings depth to your personality. Through conversation we make things a little bit easier for the next person, generation by generation.

“It’s all about learning, you know. I’m in the community and I don’t know everything about LGBTQ+, so we can all be learning from each other and from history, regardless of our own view. That’s how we create respect. Everyone is owed that.”

Read Alicia’s Full Story here

Cal’s Story

Joined by Cal, IT Support Analyst for P3 Charity’s Digital Services team, we talk about LGBTQ+ History Month and why it’s so crucial for an inclusive and welcoming workplace.

Cal identifies as nonbinary, which by definition means a gender identity that does not conform to traditional binary male and female beliefs about gender. Cal has been with P3 since 2023 and reflects on how creating an inclusive work environment isn’t just good for business, but great for an individuals’ personal wellbeing.

Cal explains, “I consider myself nonbinary mainly because I have found that there has never been a label that fits, as the way I feel about gender varies, so ‘they/them’ pronouns help me feel comfort on the day-to-day.

"As there are no strict gender identities, being nonbinary helps me categorise things in my own brain and express how I feel about things at a certain time.

“I didn’t realise [I was nonbinary] until I was in my thirties. It took a long time for me to realise my true identity, so this is still fairly recent for me.”

Cal describes feeling different from other people as far back as their childhood, right through into their twenties. It wasn’t until one of their friends came out a few months before that Cal realised that that relatively new way of identifying resonated with how they felt inside.

They add, “Before my friend came out, I’d heard the term [‘nonbinary’], but I had no idea what that actually meant or looked like. That’s exactly why these conversations matter.

“Coming out to yourself first: that takes time. That comes way before you come out to anybody else.

"It took a long while before I was able to speak about things, and even now, I only open up about the deeply personal stuff with close friends. I’m still evolving, I’m still changing. Like anything, I’m still learning.”

At P3, colleagues are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work as we believe that a diverse workforce is a strong workforce.

Reflecting on this, Cal says, “In the office, I’m very open because I know everyone and it’s a comfortable space. Externally, less because of [the stigma].

“Having a sense of belonging at work is essential to being comfortable. If you’re sitting there hiding something, you will never be able to fully concentrate on your role, as your primary concern will be about protecting yourself.

"In other jobs, I have felt real fear at times. At P3, I’ve only ever had good experiences, I think mainly because of the closeness of our team. I trust my team and I know I can rely on them. Having good people around does help a lot.”

Cal talks about the small but heartfelt gesture of putting pronouns in your email signature. They say, “It’s a small thing, but it really does make all the difference.

"Being able to tell people, even in a small way, removes that awkwardness surrounding what people do or don’t say. It also provides an opportunity for people to have conversations; that’s how we create true understanding, right?

“It’s a polite way for me to let people know without having to sit down and have a formal conversation. It’s on the tags on my emails, it’s on my [Microsoft] Teams [app], my work lanyard. So yeah, it’s more of a personal touch.”

It’s taken a lot for Cal to talk about their story with us, but it’s something that they want to share to support others who are shy about expressing who they are and encourage them to be open and proud with their colleagues, as well as friends and family. They are keen to point out that we spend most of our time at work, so it’s important for our wellbeing and overall sense of belonging to be able to be our authentic selves.

Read Cal’s full story here

Shannon’s Story

Joined by Shannon, IT Support Analyst for P3 Charity’s Digital Services Team, we talk about why inclusion is so important for the workplace and whether LGBTQ+ History Month still resonates as strongly as it used to.

Shannon started her career with P3 in 2021 on the Kickstart programme (a UK government initiative aimed at providing funding to employers to create new job roles for young people aged 16 to 24 who are at risk of long-term unemployment), taking on a role as an apprentice with P3’s IT team.

Shannon is now celebrating her five-year milestone with P3 and is reflecting on when she first started: “P3 is a workplace where you get a sense of fulfilment. Even though I don’t work with people in need, I help Support Workers to do their job and that’s valuable to me.

"I’m lucky that P3 employs people with good values and knows skills can be learnt. They took a chance on me and now I have loads of skills to take with me, whatever I do.”

Both at work and home, Shannon champions advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.

She says, “As a lesbian, feeling welcome in a space – whether that’s through friendships, family dynamics or work – is essential in order to fully be yourself.

"As P3 was my first time going into a proper job, I was worried to talk about it when I first started. I was a bit nervous mentioning it, and then I did and everyone was like ‘oh, cool.’”

As a ‘Masc Lesbian’ – meaning a lesbian who identifies as female but expresses herself in a more masculine or androgynous manner – Shannon highlights how often gender identity and sexuality are combined, which can sometimes complicate her interactions with others.

“I’ve definitely been misgendered before because of it. To be honest, I find it hilarious, especially when people tell me I don’t belong in the women’s bathroom – I am a woman! It really highlights, though, what transpeople go through on a daily basis.

“Everybody makes assumptions, but that’s just how the world is. Until you clarify with people what your identity is, it’s just one of those things. In some cases, especially with the older generation, it’s my view that we can’t take it personally when they get things wrong, as that’s how they’ve been brought up.”

“For me, if people don’t use the right terms but they’re polite and accepting, that’s fine. It’s when they express hate where it’s wrong,; there is absolutely no excuse for that – just let people live their lives.”

She adds, “If people don’t have that prior knowledge, how can we be upset with them? Especially when it’s not always clear or when people don’t know who you are.”

Shannon continues, “I still feel for people of course, but it's about acceptance. For me, it's how people respond after they know your identity. It’s really important that we talk to people about who we are rather than just shutting down because they don’t recognise us on sight.

"It’s about having that conversation. If you make people angry or embarrassed, they won’t want to have conversations or be willing to understand more in the future.

“But it works both ways”, she says. “If I’m prepared to be patient with people who don’t understand the [LGBTQ+] community, then people should be patient with us – especially families. It’s so cruel when families cut people off simply because of who they are.”

Shannon is keen to emphasise the importance of understanding and how this comes across at P3: “I’ve never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in this role because of my identity. As a workplace, we really are celebrated as ourselves.”

Shannon reflects on the way we address LGBTQ+ issues: by standing up for what is right, we can learn from the past and help younger LGBTQ+ people feel safe and accepted.

As for celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month, Shannon says, “It’s a good idea, but I’ve never celebrated it. We should all learn from the past and address the present issues, regardless of whether you’re gay or not. We're human beings, all of us. It should be present always, not just in February (History Month) or June (Pride Month).

We end our conversation with Shannon sharing advice with her younger self and other young LGBTQ+ people who may be feeling confused: “Just focus on yourself, keep your good friends close and don’t let people who don’t understand you have the privilege of being in your life.”

Read Shannon’s Full Story here

Tracey’s Story

Tracey joined P3 Charity in 2024, bringing with her years of experience and commitment to housing support and homelessness prevention.

Her journey in the supported housing sector began in 1998 when she started as an outreach worker, actively seeking out people experiencing homelessness and listening to their stories.

From those early days on the frontline, Tracey progressed into leadership roles, eventually becoming Head of Support and Community for P3 Charity services in the north of England: a role shaped by nearly three decades of hands-on experience.

At the heart of her work is a non-judgemental, compassionate approach. She takes time to build trust and really see the person behind the situation. While Tracey believes in equal and fair access to housing for everyone, Tracey has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ people in supported housing, championing inclusive, community-led services where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community herself, Tracey is passionate about helping people find their voices.

She says, “It’s something that began way before my professional career began, as early as childhood. I’ve always been so passionate about social justice – specifically advocating for LGBTQ+ people – so it’s something that naturally came with the roles I’ve taken.”

Tracey continues, “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and as someone in a senior leadership role, I’m very aware of how visibility and inclusion really matter. It’s not about forcing people into sharing their identity: it’s about letting people know that they can.

“For me, being able to share my identity at work is absolutely crucial to me as a person, but also demonstrates to other people that being visual, being vocal about it really matters. As Head of Support and Community for the north of England, I cover Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Cheshire East and Yorkshire, which is a large percentage of the organisation, so I feel like I’m really in a position to have an impact.

“[Belonging] lives in everyday actions and how decisions are made, whose voices are heard and whether people feel safe enough to come to work and [be themselves]. When it comes to talking about who we are, it's the everyday conversations that take place that matter.”

As Tracey highlights the progress that workplaces have made to be inclusive of all people, she still acknowledges the caveat that safe environments can only be created when we change the way people think about others. Despite workplaces’ efforts, stigma still exists if we can’t all be open about our identities.

She says, “There is absolutely still stigma; we’d be foolish to pretend that there wasn’t. As somebody who is hypersensitive to body language, you can and do see it when people find out.

"For example, if people don’t know and I make reference to my wife, I can see the change. So, at work, in an environment when you need to be your whole self, it’s so important that we can express ourselves. For me, it’s really important to get that conversation out of the way early on.”

Tracey acknowledges that this isn’t easy, especially for people who don’t feel safe or aren’t used to being open with their colleagues.

Her advice: “Feel the fear and do it anyway. It is like a ‘coming-out’ process, but it gets easier the more you do it. Unfortunately, we are still in a situation where we have to ‘come out’; I hope one day we will live in a world where it’ll be normalised to talk about your partner, whoever they are.”

Beyond the workplace, Tracey talks about the Third Sector more broadly and why having these spaces of belonging are crucial to people’s wellbeing, particularly in the homeless community.

She says, “The LGBTQ+ community is hugely overrepresented in homeless[ness] [figures], like many other marginalised communities. As a sector, we have a duty to continue to ask why that is and how we can address that.

"So having those spaces where [organisations] can learn from each other in terms of best practice, we are removing barriers for different communities across the country. Having those conversations enables us to continue to improve.”

Tracey continues, “It’s important to recognise the progress that has been made, but also to be honest about the fact that acceptance doesn’t happen automatically, or everywhere.

"We’re able to have this conversation today because we’re fortunate enough to be in a country where it’s safe to have this conversation.”

Read Tracey’s full story here

These stories don’t end here

Creating a sector and a society where LGBTQ+ people are safe and seen takes more than reflection: it takes action. At P3, we work alongside people facing exclusion, inequality and homelessness to remove barriers and create routes to belonging.

Learn more about our work, read the full stories and find out how you can be part of the change at p3charity.org .