A Rising Tide: Global Update

By Ariella Assouline, Senior Manager of Programs & Operations

For me, what makes coming to work each day a privilege is the ability to make the world just a little bit better than it was before. That drive, to help shape brave, self-assured, and well-resourced young people, is the connective thread throughout the It Gets Better Global Affiliate Network. Every day, brave adult leaders around the world show up for young people in the ways they themselves were — or wish they had been — supported.

Around the world, in every community, we all want the same thing: kids that grow into healthy and confident adults. 

Members of the Global Affiliate Network have been radically improving their countries and communities over the past few months in 2026. We had the pleasure of checking in with them and bringing you up to date on the incredible things happening for LGBTQ+ youth.

In Chile, Todo Mejora is at the forefront of ensuring that their entire community has the knowledge necessary to ensure LGBTQ+ youth are represented and taken care. They are working on two studies: one, their 2026 “Polyvictimization and Mental Health Among LGBT+ Youth in Chile” study, highlights the inequalities that diverse youth continue to face. 

“This allows us to make visible disparities that were difficult to measure for many years and to contribute robust evidence that strengthens public policies, violence prevention efforts, and the promotion of safe spaces for LGBT+ children, adolescents, and young people,”

– Francisca Baeza, Director of Social Innovation at Todo Mejora Foundation.

What’s next? Look out for their next study, a ten-year follow-up to their National School Climate Survey, designed to understand how LGBTQ+ youth in Chile currently experience school.

In Canada, trans youth met in person for their very first Trans Plenary, designed to inform a new trans module on their GLO app, as future in-person workshops. Speaking of GLO, it received over 400 downloads from their team participating in Toronto Pride. In the last three months, It Gets Better Canada was able to connect with almost 1500 young people. 

“Being willing to engage with queer and transness as an ally is so important to make the queer people in your life feel supported and cared for. Taking the initiative to learn more is so important, without making the responsibility of the queer friend to offer you access to these spaces.”

– Trans Plenary Attendant

It Gets Better UK has attended over 10 Pride events across the country, including their first in Northern Ireland.

It Gets Better Hungary was one of the sponsors of the first legal Pride celebration in Budapest.

It Gets Better Peru’s dedication to ensuring that LGBTQ+ youth have confidential and brave spaces to learn and grow has expanded with their new Trans and Non-binary community space and their LGBTQ+ support network community space (coming up on August 26!). Over 40 young people attended their community gatherings this past quarter alone, providing a vital space to connect with others and build supportive relationships.

“Creating community is one of the most meaningful ways we can support LGBTQ+ people. Impact is not always about reaching hundreds of people at once; sometimes, it is about creating a space where someone can feel understood, supported, connected, and less alone.”

– Lucy Ibañez, President, It Gets Better Perú

Our vision of a world where LGBTQ+ young people are free to live equally and know their power and worthiness as individuals is one where all young people know their innate worth and are able to enact it with confidence. As the saying goes (and It Gets Better Canada reminds us), a rising tide lifts all boats. All of our global efforts result in us rising the tide for LGBTQ+ youth everywhere. 

Together, with every affiliate and with every one of you readers, we are committed to creating a world where being a young person means you know you have support to grow. 

Thank you for being in this world with us.