Join us for an insightful conversation exploring the vital roles that Safe Havens and Safe Spaces play in supporting LGBTIQ+ communities through compassionate, lived experience-led care.

Hear directly from the staff as they share how their centres provide welcoming environments where people experiencing emotional distress find understanding, connection and hope.

Throughout the webinar, our panel will share real stories that demonstrate how Safe Havens and Safe Spaces respond to the unique experiences and challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ people. Through a facilitated Q&A, participants will explore what makes these services effective, the gaps that still exist, and the aspirations each centre has for the future.

Presentation by

Adele Hall (She/Her)

Senior social worker who is passionate about youth mental health. She brings a wealth of experience, having worked in various settings such as youth drug health, out of home care and suicide prevention. She is also the team leader at Safe Haven Randwick.

Vanessa Le

Youth peer worker at Randwick Safe Haven who strongly advocates for young people to take control of their own recovery journeys. She works collaboratively with mental health clinicians to provide trauma-informed and holistic care.

Joshua Stojanovic (He/Him)

Volunteer, Peer CARE Companion, and advocate for community-led suicide prevention initiatives. Making meaning of his lived experience of suicide he became a founding member of Blue Mountains Safe Space for Suicide Prevention and currently chairs their board.

LGBTQ+ populations continue to experience significant disparities in mental health and wellbeing outcomes, alongside higher rates of alcohol and other drug use and barriers to accessing appropriate care.

LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations play a critical role in responding to these disparities through approaches that are peer-led and grounded in lived experience. However, there remains limited national understanding of what makes these organisations unique and how they operate in shared ways.

This webinar will explore the Optimise+ project and its work mapping LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations delivering mental health and AOD services across Australia. The session will examine what this work reveals about the current service landscape and how improved visibility of the sector can support stronger policy, planning, funding and service integration.

This webinar will also feature the official launch of new community resources designed to strengthen understanding of LGBTQ+ community-controlled mental health and AOD services across Australia.

Presentation by

Dr Jack Farrugia (He/Him)

Researcher at The Kids Research Institute Australia whose work focuses on regional youth mental health, LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing, and inclusive service delivery. His recent work includes Optimise+, mapping LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations delivering mental health and AOD services.

LGBTQ+ populations continue to experience significant disparities in mental health and wellbeing outcomes, alongside higher rates of alcohol and other drug use and barriers to accessing appropriate care.

LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations play a critical role in responding to these disparities through approaches that are peer-led and grounded in lived experience. However, there remains limited national understanding of what makes these organisations unique and how they operate in shared ways.

This webinar will explore the Optimise+ project and its work mapping LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations delivering mental health and AOD services across Australia. The session will examine what this work reveals about the current service landscape and how improved visibility of the sector can support stronger policy, planning, funding and service integration.

This webinar will also feature the official launch of new community resources designed to strengthen understanding of LGBTQ+ community-controlled mental health and AOD services across Australia.

Presentation by

Dr Jack Farrugia (He/Him)

Researcher at The Kids Research Institute Australia whose work focuses on regional youth mental health, LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing, and inclusive service delivery. His recent work includes Optimise+, mapping LGBTQ+ community-controlled organisations delivering mental health and AOD services.

Members, including staff, volunteers and delegates of LHA Full, Regular, Affiliate and Associate member organisations can attend free as part of their supporter benefits.
Please RSVP free here.