Servicing Greater Shepparton and surrounding areas, The Diversity Project aims to create a safer, more inclusive, and healthier community for young people under 25 years old who are LGBTIQA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse, intersex, queer, questioning, asexual, +). The program supports young people to grow and develop while feeling safe to talk about their feelings, thoughts and identities and seek the right help when they need it. Young people are supported through a combination of support groups and advocacy. In addition, education sessions and professional development opportunities support the broader community and those who work alongside LGBTIQA+ young people and their families through knowledge growth and understanding.
The Diversity Youth Group offered within the program is a peer social group for LGBTIQA+ young people and their friends and includes activities, connection, peer social engagement, and fun. The program is free and generally goes for 90 minutes at Uniting. Currently offering groups for those aged 12-17-years-old and 18-25-years-old, workshops are also offered for all 12-25-year-olds. Young people are invited to come in for a 30-minute meeting and complete a consent form and ensure a program induction happens prior to attending. No referral form is needed, simply contact the program on behalf of a young person* or pass the information onto a young person for them to connect. *Please ensure you have their consent if contacting us for a young person.
The program offers Professional Development Education Sessions to service providers, businesses, education facilities, organisations and more. Sessions run for a minimum of two hours, pending the need and cover, at minimum:
- The acronym, LGBTIQA+ and what these words and definitions mean in diverse contexts
- Unpacking the difference of sexuality, gender, and sex assigned at birth with the gender unicorn tool
- Understanding the impacts to our more vulnerable intersections within the LGBTIQA+ community
- Heteronormativity and the associated behaviours
- Trans 101 – understand who trans people are and the nuances of trans lives
- Unpacking attitudes towards discrimination through the riddle scale
- Allyship in the context of your environment
- Specific impacts, barriers, or challenges LGBTIQA+ people may face relating to your specific organisation community or workplace context
The Diversity Project works alongside those seeking this learning to ensure the needs and challenges faced or wanted as part of the learning session are meet, sessions are tailored based off information known prior to the session.
Consultation and sharing current resources – When you don’t know where to go, what to do or what the best approach might be when working alongside an LGBTIQA+ young person, the Diversity Project is here to help and can support workers, parents, or community members.
Collaboration to bring events to life – Work on initiatives for important days of pride and significance like Wear It Purple and IDAHOBIT, the Diversity Project is always open to working alongside others to help make these moments impactful for not only queer young people but the broader LGBTIQA+ community.
Find out more and check out the video on the Diversity Youth Group here.
Contact Information:
Email: diversity@vt.uniitng.org
Phone: (03) 5831 6157
Available: Monday – Friday | 9am – 5pm
Follow us on socials: @uniting_youthshepp & Uniting Youth Shepparton