The following are a list of services and supports for LGBTI elders and people providing care to LGBTI elders.
Visitor Schemes
These visitor schemes are social support programs that provide LGBTI elders with visitors to reduce social isolation or loneliness. Click on each program to learn more:
National:
State or territory based:
- New South Wales: ACON Community Visitors Scheme
- Queensland: QUAC LGBTI Seniors Community Visitors Service
- Victoria:Switchboard Out & About Community Visitors Scheme
- Victoria: Rainbow Connection, contact (03) 9836 0426 or [email protected]
- Western Australia: Umbrella Multicultural Community Care
- South Australia: COTA SA #ReframingAgeing
Mentoring and support programs
Alice’s Garage is a national project empowering LGBTI elders and promoting healthy LGBTI ageing in Australia. The project pays homage to Ms Alice Anderson who set up a Motor Service in 1920s Melbourne. Alice’s Garage includes a blog for LGBTI elders and a number of projects focusing on LGBTI Ageing and Elders.
Uniting Communities Bfriend, South Australia
Bfriend offers mentoring, support, information and referral for people coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ), and their families. The program supports men and women of all ages in South Australia, who are newly identifying as same sex-attracted and people who are questioning their gender identity. This includes matching people on a short-term basis, with a trained peer volunteer; facilitating groups with other newly-identifying people; workshops and training for service providers; and information and referrals.
GRAI, Western Australia
GRAI provides support to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex people as they age, with a primary focus on quality housing options and servcies for older and ageing people of diverse sexualities and gender identities.
Advocacy
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)
Older Persons Advocacy Network offers free, independent and confidential services that support older people and their representatives to raise and address issues relating to Commonwealth funded aged care services. OPAN members are based in every state and territory.
Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTI people
Black Rainbow is a national advocacy platform and touchpoint for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBQTI) peoples. They support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBQTI people through a variety of community projects and initiatives.
BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation is committed to empowering the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQ+ community through innovation, inclusion, understanding and advocacy.
Yarns Heal is a suicide prevention campaign for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTIQ+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy community.
Support for Intersex people
Intersex Human Rights Australia
Intersex Human Rights Australia is a national body by and for people with intersex variations. They promote the human rights, self-determination and bodily autonomy of intersex people in Australia.
Support for people living with HIV
National Association for people with HIV Australia (NAPWHA)
NAPWHA is Australia’s peak non-government organisation representing community-based groups of People living with HIV across Australia. They provide advocacy, policy, health promotion, effective representation, and outreach on a national level.
Positive Organisation Western Australia (POWA)
POWA is a peer-led organisation for all people with HIV in WA. They provide advocacy, services, leadership and representation across the diverse needs of all people with HIV in Western Australia.
Positive Life NSW works to promote a positive image of people living with and affected by HIV with the aim of eliminating prejudice, isolation, stigma and discrimination. They provide information, targeted referrals and advocate to change systems and practices that discriminate against people living with HIV, their partners, friends, family and carers in NSW.
Queensland Positive People (QPP)
QPP is a peer-based advocacy organisation which is committed to actively promoting self-determination and empowerment for all people living with HIV (PLHIV) throughout Queensland.
Living Positive Victoria is the community voice for the rights and wellbeing of all people living with HIV in Victoria.
Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC)
The key non-government organisation working in the area of blood-borne viruses, education and support in the Northern Territory.
Australia’s largest grassroots movement for People Living with HIV. We’re a place where People Living with HIV find support, online and in person.
Positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Network (PATSIN)
PATSIN works within Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander communities and service providers to represent the interests of indigenous Australians.
Other services
Qlife, National
QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTI peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
ACON, New South Wales
ACON are a health promotion organisation specialising in HIV prevention, HIV support and LGBTI health.
Rainbow Health Victoria is a program that supports LGBTIQ health and wellbeing through research and knowledge translation, training, resources, policy advice and service accreditation through the Rainbow Tick.
South Australia Rainbow Alliance
The South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance SARAA), formerly the Gay and Lesbian Health Alliance of SA (GLHA), advocates for the health and welfare concerns of LGBTIQ people and positive change to related policy issues affecting the ability of LGBTIQ people to live safe, happy and fulfilled lives in the wider community.
The Rainbow Hub is your one-stop-shop for all the COTA SA programs, services, events and activities focussed on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Intersex (LGBTI) community aged 50+ in South Australia.
QuAC (Queensland AIDS Council)
QuAC is an independent community organisation providing health promotion and information for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and intersex people. They aim to enable LGBTI people to increase control over and improve their health.
Diverse Voices, Queensland
Diverse Voices is a Queensland based non-profit organisation with a focus on the well being of the diverse voices that make up our community. Their focus is on the operation of a LGBTIQ+ peer to peer telephone, web chat and referral service, which they provide in collaboration with the National LGBTI Health Alliance through the QLife program.
Wendybird, Queensland
Wendybird is a not-for-profit community group led by a collective of LGBTIQ people who are working together to intentionally grow a safer and always supportive community for people of diverse bodies, genders, relationships and sexualities, their friends, families and children to find meaningful connections.
Working it Out (WIO), Tasmania
Working it Out Inc. is Tasmania’s gender, sexuality and intersex status support and education service. The provide support to people negotiating their gender, sexuality and or intersex status.
NTAHC, Northern Territory
NTAHC are the key non-government organisation working in the area of blood-borne viruses, education and support in the Northern Territory.
Meridian ACT, Australian Capital Territory
Meridian is a community-controlled, peer-led organisation that provides health and social support services to our community. Celebrating diversity, strengthen community and empower individuals to live their best lives.
Living Proud, Western Australia
Living Proud provide support, information and resources to the Western Australian LGBTI community. Their services include a peer counselling phone line, health and wellbeing initiatives and community capacity building.