Meet GLO: A Bright New Way for LGBTQ+ Youth to Care for Their Mental Health

By Ariella Assouline (she/her)
Senior Manager of Programs for It Gets Better

As someone who works every day with LGBTQ+ youth, educators, and families, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for young people to have tools that support their mental health on their own terms. That’s why It Gets Better first launched imi.guide, a free, science-backed digital resource created in partnership with Hopelab and CenterLink, and co-designed by LGBTQ+ youth. imi takes users on a self-guided journey through topics like stress, gender, and identity, offering practical ways to manage emotions and build confidence. Nearly 200,000 young people have already explored imi, proof that accessible, affirming mental health support matters.

Now, our friends at It Gets Better Canada have expanded that mission with GLO, a brand-new mobile app designed by and for LGBTQ+ youth. Developed through a multi-year, $1.5 million CAD commitment from the Department of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) and the Government of Canada, GLO brings mental-health support directly to your phone with daily check-ins, lessons on managing stress and online hostility, and even an interactive companion that grows with you as you make progress. It’s an exciting milestone for one of our global affiliates, and a reminder that when LGBTQ+ youth lead, innovation follows.

imi and GLO are sibling platforms, each designed to support LGBTQ+ mental health from different angles. imi lives on the web, no downloads required, offering an in-depth, self-guided experience that helps users explore their identities and emotions at their own pace. GLO travels with you, designed for on-the-go support with interactive lessons that make learning about mental health engaging and fun. 

To celebrate GLO’s launch, I talked with Omid Razavi, Executive Director of It Gets Better Canada, about what this milestone means for 2SLGBTQI+ youth and how the app came to life.

Proud, excited and amazed doesn’t even come close to expressing how monumental this moment is! Can you please give us a little history behind the development of the GLO app?

Last summer, It Gets Better Canada experienced an overwhelming amount of negative and hate-filled comments on our social media channels. It was unlike anything we have ever experienced, since our inception in 2016. Our team immediately recognized that this increase in online hate is only a small reflection of what LGBTQ+ youth must be facing on a daily basis as they navigate digital platforms. Thanks to funding from the federal government (the Department of Women and Gender Equality Canada), It Gets Better Canada was able to begin developing a new resource to support queer youth with empowering tools to safeguard their mental health while online. What followed was numerous brainstorming sessions with our team, consultations with our youth network and through the integration of emerging and established research, connecting media and technology research with the latest innovations in mental health support for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, GLO was born.

What do you hope to see change for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in Canada, and the world, with the release and use of GLO?

Through the release of GLO we hope to make learning fun and empowering for them. There is a lot of information and content out there and it can be hard to compete for youth’s attention. GLO was designed to gamify the learning experience. Not only is the user accessing educational and empowering content to better equip themselves with their day-to-day online activities, but they are also now in charge of the wellbeing of a pet that follows them along during their learning journey.

What is your favorite feature of GLO?

The GLO pets of course! Users start their app journey by selecting a capsule to hatch and are immediately paired with their own GLO pet to name, nurture and grow. As the user further engages with our empowering content, they are able to evolve, engage and even style their GLO pet in fun and new ways. Prioritizing your mental health no longer needs to be a journey users travel alone.

Did you always know that the app would be available worldwide? What sort of considerations went into that decision when developing the app?

It truly was a no brainer for us at It Gets Better Canada. As a proud member of the It Gets Better Global Affiliate Network, we continue to connect with countries around the world who express the ongoing need to support their queer youth. Globally, we are only hearing of  an increased need for support for queer youth and the struggles they face. Through the stories of empowerment to the integral resources we share collectively, we are truly stronger together. 

Do you have any advice for other LGBTQ+ nonprofits that are looking to expand their reach or footprint?

We have found great success in collaborating with other organizations to share stories and campaigns. Often, the smaller grassroots LGBTQ+ organizations have the strongest campaigns and most interesting stories to tell. I would recommend other nonprofits to look into collaborating with others to share your experiences and expertise and further broadcast your reach. Who knows, there may be opportunities for your input in projects like GLO in the future if you reach out to larger organizations.

If you could share one message with LGBTQ+ youth who are curious about the app, what would it be?

Download it today and be prepared to fall in love with your GLO pet!