MindOut

What MindOut does

MindOut is a UK-registered mental health charity (Charity No. 1140098, Company No. 7441667) founded in 1998 in Brighton and operating independently since 2011 after spinning out of Mind in Brighton and Hove. The organisation delivers mental health services — including advocacy, peer support groups, low-cost counselling, telephone befriending, peer mentoring, online live-chat support, and a suicide-prevention programme — exclusively to LGBTQ+ adults aged 18+, with primary service delivery across Brighton, Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne and Hastings, and national reach only via the Online Support chat service. All staff and volunteers are LGBTQ-identifying with lived experience of mental health needs, and the model is intentionally community-led, grounded in identity-affirming support that mainstream providers are not equipped to deliver.

The service portfolio is unified by shared staff, referral pathways, and an in-house identity framework spanning specialist offers for People of Colour, Trans/Non-binary individuals, Bi communities, under-30s, and the 50+ cohort. Technology infrastructure is limited to standard SaaS: Microsoft Forms for referrals and intake, Eventbrite for event management, JustGiving/EasyFundraising/Give As You Live for donations. There are no proprietary AI/ML systems; the online chat is staffed by trained volunteers and mental health practitioners.

MindOut's revenue model is hybrid-nonprofit: charitable donations and grants (People's Health Trust, MIND-linked funding, Comic Relief heritage), individual giving through JustGiving and shopping-affiliate platforms, community fundraising events (marathons, comedy nights, Rainbow Run), low-cost sliding-scale counselling fees, and a tiered corporate training programme (£2k–£6k+ per partnership) delivered nationally. Pricing across direct services is intentionally subsidised and sliding-scale to preserve accessibility, while training operates on a turnover-based tiered model with multi-year partnership contracts and concessionary rates for small LGBTQ and mental-health organisations.

Name

MindOut

Legal name

MindOut LGB&T Mental Health Project

Website

https://mindout.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MindOut is a UK-registered LGBTQ+ mental health charity providing advocacy, peer support, counselling, online chat, telephone befriending, suicide prevention, and training services to LGBTQ+ adults aged 18+, primarily across Sussex with national reach via online support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ Mental Health Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH), Trauma-Informed Mindfulness & Somatic Mind-Body Practices (HSADAJAI)

Keywords

• LGBTQ mental health
• Peer support groups
• Mental health advocacy
• LGBTQ counselling
• LGBTQ training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: MindOut generates revenue through charitable donations, individual giving (one-time and monthly), JustGiving platform donations, and organized fundraising events including marathons, comedy nights, and community runs.
2. Training Services: The organization provides LGBTQ+ mental health training to other organizations, including A-Z of LGBTQ+ Mental Health, Trans 101, Trans 201, and Suicide Awareness Training. Pricing operates on a sliding scale based on organization size.
3. Low-Cost Counselling Services: Counselling services are provided at low cost with a sliding scale fee based on income and circumstances, contributing partially to operational costs while maintaining accessibility.
4. Legacy Gifts: The organization accepts legacy gifts and bequests through wills, offering a free online will writing service in partnership with a solicitor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MindOut is a registered LGBTQ mental health charity that provides advocacy, low-cost counselling, peer support groups, online chat support, telephone befriending, peer mentoring, suicide prevention support, advice and information, and nationwide LGBTQ mental health training. Its primary beneficiary audience is LGBTQ adults aged 18+ in Sussex, with online support available nationally, and training sold to external organisations.

Product overview

MindOut is a mental health charity run by and for LGBTQ+ people, offering a comprehensive portfolio of services across Brighton, Hove, and Sussex (with national online availability). The organisation operates as a single unified service with multiple interconnected offerings: Online Support (Live Chat) provides immediate anonymous assistance; Peer Support Groups and the 50+ Project offer community-based identity-specific support; Advocacy Services address mental health, trans-specific, and community needs; Counselling delivers low-cost therapeutic support; Telephone Befriending and Peer Mentoring provide one-to-one ongoing support relationships; and Suicide Prevention Project coordinates crisis intervention. Training programs extend the reach to organisations, while Resources and Research Publications share knowledge. The service portfolio is unified by shared staff, values, and referral pathways, enabling holistic support for LGBTQ individuals experiencing mental health challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Support (Live Chat) Confidential, non-judgmental anonymous chat support service for LGBTQ adults aged 18+ run by LGBTQ affirmative mental health trained volunteers, available Monday–Wednesday afternoons with specialist sessions for People of Colour (Monday) and Trans/Non-binary individuals (Tuesday).
• Peer Support Groups Confidential, non-judgemental peer support groups run by experienced LGBTQ facilitators, including identity-themed groups for LGBTQ people, Trans/Non-binary individuals, BAME, Bi, Non-binary, and age-specific cohorts (under 30s, 50+).
• Advocacy Service Professional independent advocacy service for LGBTQ people covering Mental Health Advocacy, Trans Advocacy, Online Advocacy, Self-Advocacy workshops, and Community Advocacy, delivered as part of the Sussex Advocacy Partnership.
• Counselling Service Low-cost counselling service for LGBTQ individuals aged 18+, offering 12 sessions primarily face-to-face with sliding scale fees based on income, registered with BACP and informed by their Ethical Framework.
• Telephone Befriending Ongoing telephone support matching LGBTQ individuals with volunteer befrienders for regular calls, offering short (1–3 months), medium (3–6 months) and long term (up to 12 months) relationships.
• Peer Mentoring Project Links LGBTQ individuals with trained volunteer peer mentors to develop new skills, explore interests, improve social connections, and achieve goals through shared lived experiences and identities.
• Suicide Prevention Project Specialised support for LGBTQ people experiencing suicidal distress, including advocacy, peer support groups, online support, peer mentoring, and suicide awareness training.
• 50+ Project Wellbeing project for LGBTQ people over 50 offering peer support groups, advocacy, peer mentoring, telephone befriending, outreach support, social events, wellbeing courses, and training for services on supporting older LGBTQ people.
• Trans and Gender-Diverse Services Comprehensive services for trans and gender-diverse people including trans advocacy, online support sessions with trans/non-binary staff, welcoming counselling, community engagement work, peer mentoring, and befriending.
• Advice and Information Service Information and signposting service responding to hundreds of requests annually on mental health services, GP services, housing, welfare rights, LGBTQ rights, counselling, Trans care pathways, immigration, and related topics.
• East Sussex Community Peer Support Groups Community peer support groups running in Eastbourne and Hastings, providing emotional support, signposting, and connections for LGBTQ+ people in East Sussex.
• LGBTQ Mental Health Training Nationwide LGBTQ mental health training programmes for organisations, including A-Z of LGBTQ+ Mental Health, Trans 101, Trans 201, Suicide Awareness Training, and bespoke sessions on LGBTQ affirmative practice, with partnership pricing tiered by organisation turnover.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 in 10 LGBTQ people MindOut serves report experiencing suicidal distress
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sussex Advocacy PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMindOut delivers Trans Advocacy and Community Mental Health Advocacy for LGBTQ people in Brighton & Hove as part of the Sussex Advocacy Partnership, which brings together specialist advocacy providers to deliver an integrated advocacy service across Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex.
• SamaritansminorOthersReferral partner for online chat/helpline support when MindOut's online service is outside operating hours. Samaritans provides 24/7 confidential emotional support at 116 123.
• LGBTQ Alliance Brighton & HovecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of 14+ LGBTQ organizations including Lunch Positive, Radical Rhizones, Queer Therapy Hub, Navigate, Trans Pride, The Clare Project, Switchboard, Stonewall Housing, Marlborough Productions, The Sussex Beacon, Pride Community Foundation, AllSorts & Working To Connect, united for advocacy and community support.
• University of BrightoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced research on LGBTQ mental health and suicidal distress, including evaluation reports and the 'Pathways between LGBTQ migration, social isolation and mental distress' research project (2020-2022) funded by UK Research and Innovation.
• MINDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMindOut originated as a project under MIND in Brighton and Hove. Maintains relationship as a community mental health service with MIND branding visible on funder acknowledgements.
• EasyFundraisingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline shopping donation platform where over 8,000 retailers donate percentages of sales to MindOut when customers shop through the easyfundraising portal.
• Give As You LiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline shopping donation platform enabling shoppers to raise free donations for MindOut when purchasing from participating retailers.
• Allsorts Youth ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal LGBTQ youth organization referral partner, sharing resources and supporting young people transitioning to adult services.
• Trans Pride BrightonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQ alliance member organization supporting trans and gender-diverse individuals in Brighton and Sussex.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• PFLAG UK: UK charity supporting parents, families, and allies of LGBTQ+ people. Comparable community-led LGBTQ+ support mission, though focused on family/ally relationships rather than direct mental health service delivery.

Direct peers

• The Trevor Project: US-based LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention and mental health organisation. Highly comparable mission and crisis intervention model, including chat/text helpline services targeted at LGBTQ+ people in distress.
• LGBT Foundation: National UK LGBTQ+ charity providing mental health support, advocacy, and wellbeing services. Directly comparable as a community-led LGBTQ+ mental health and wellbeing provider with a broader national footprint.
• Stonewall Housing: UK charity supporting LGBTQ+ people with housing-related mental health and advocacy needs. Alliance partner of MindOut and comparable in delivering specialist LGBTQ+ advocacy services.
• Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline: UK LGBTQ+ helpline providing confidential support, information, and referrals. Closely comparable as MindOut's formal referral partner and a fellow crisis/support line operator for the LGBTQ+ community.
• London Friend: UK LGBTQ+ health charity offering counselling, support groups, and mental wellbeing services. Direct peer in delivering community-based LGBTQ+ mental health counselling and group work.
• Mermaids: UK charity supporting trans and gender-diverse young people and their families. Comparable as a specialist LGBTQ+ support provider, though focused on under-18s where MindOut serves 18+.
• The Clare Project: Brighton & Hove-based peer support and advocacy for trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse adults. Alliance partner of MindOut and directly comparable in delivering Trans advocacy and community support.

Broad incumbents

• Samaritans: UK-wide 24/7 crisis emotional support line. MindOut refers out-of-hours online chat users to Samaritans; comparable in delivering confidential emotional support, but non-specialist (not LGBTQ-specific).

Regional players

• Allsorts Youth Project: Brighton-based LGBTQ+ youth organisation and MindOut alliance partner. Comparable mission and geographic base, but focused on under-18s where MindOut operates for adults.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mindoutlgbtq
• Xx.com/MindOutLGBTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/mindoutlgbtq

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MindOut