Gender and diversity

Migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless, and internally displaced persons that identify with a diverse gender and/or sexuality (LGBTIQA+), face complex challenges, including discrimination, violence, difficulty in accessing basic social and economic rights, and barriers to articulating their protection needs. At Advance Diversity Services (ADS) we understand these challenges and wholeheartedly include, welcome and support people who identify with a diverse gender and/or sexuality (LGBTIQA+). 

We’re 2x gold for inclusion

We’re (twice) gold for inclusion. In 2019 and 2020, Advance Diversity Services (ADS) was proud to have been chosen as HWEI Gold Tier Provider in the Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards. These awards acknowledge the good work we’ve been doing to improve our services and practices to support people who identify with a diverse gender and/or sexuality (LGBTIQA+).

LGBTIQA+ inclusion initiatives

  • We are a member of ACON’s Pride in Health + Wellbeing program, which has supported us to update all our intake forms, policies and procedures including staff training to ensure our services are more inclusive of all people.

  • We developed a Champions program to support ADS LGBTIQA+ staff and client-based service delivery.

  • We participated in the Health + Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI) and were chosen as an HWEI Gold Tier provider in the Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards for two years running (in 2019 and 2020). Further details for our 2019 award here and for our 2020 award here.

  • We participated in Fair Day 2020.

  • To ensure our inclusivity is visible to all members of our community, we rolled out a targeted marketing campaign “BE YOU WITH US”.

  • Migrants and refugees who identify as LGBTIQA+ will find it easier to locate support thanks to an expanded Multicultural LGBTIQA+ Support Directory we produced with other leading service providers across Sydney and NSW. Further details here.

  • We sought Expressions of Interest from community members and representatives from organisations, service providers, community groups and ADS staff, to join an ADS LGBTIQA+ Working Group. The group assists ADS and local community organisations to improve access and equity for LGBTIQA+ clients.

  • We are a member of the Welcome Here Project, which supports businesses/organisations throughout Australia to create and promote environments that are visibly welcoming and inclusive of LGBTIQ communities.

  • We advocate and provide support/advice by having staff representation on committees, interagencies and working groups. Some of these include the GLISTEN Steering Committee and the LGBTI Ageing Network Meeting.

  • ADS was successful with funding from the Settlement Innovation Fund (offered through the NSW Settlement Partnership) which offered ACON Inclusive Practice training to 81 staff across the partnership in 2020.

  • ADS partnered with Queer Screen to host a community screening of the Australian premiere of Goodbye Mother (a Vietnamese coming out story) in 2021 as part of the 28th Mardi Gras Film Festival.

  • ADS launched Pride in My Faith – a video which offers insights into the struggles faced by LGBTIQA+ people of faith from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as they try to reconcile their faith, culture and queer identity, and to find service providers that understand the complexity of their predicament.

  • ADS partnered with the University of Wollongong to enhance the ability of the settlement and community services sectors to serve the needs of CALD LGBTIQA+ communities.

 

 

 

‘As we grow further as an inclusive organisation, we also hope to be a lighthouse to other CALD providers.’

 

 

 

You're welcome

Our inclusion campaign ‘BE YOU WITH US – You belong, we all belong’ drives our attitudes and actions so you’ll feel welcome

We are the change

The task to incorporate safety, inclusion and empowerment in community services across our nation is significant – but ‘we are the change’. Let’s do it.

Championing equity

Our Champions program supports ADS LGBTIQA+ staff and client-based service delivery, and our LGBTIQA+ Working Group, assists ADS to improve access and equity

LGBTIQA+ Directory

Migrants and refugees who identify as LGBTIQA+ can also locate support in our expanded Multicultural LGBTIQA+ Support Directory.

Members of