We acknowledge and celebrate our history and proudly support Yarra's LGBTIQA+ precinct and businesses.

Celebrate days of significance and pride events

What will we do?

• Acknowledge and celebrate relevant days of significance in the Rainbow calendar.
• Partner with State Government for Victoria's Pride festival and Midsumma festival, exploring ways to expand accessibility and intersectionality.
• Provide opportunities for the community to participate in Pride events, facilitating learning and collaboration.

Recognise queer people, spaces, landmarks and history

What will we do?

• Investigate how to best acknowledge and protect queer places of cultural and historical significance.
• Increase LGBTIQA+ visibility through public art, storytelling, representation, and community recognition.
• Support LGBTIQA+ First Nations people in Yarra by centering their voices, businesses, and creating culturally safe spaces.

Support Rainbow businesses and cultural precincts

What will we do?

• Explore ways to support rainbow businesses in Yarra through potential incentives and initiatives.
• Preserve and enhance existing cultural precincts while exploring opportunities for expansion.

We advocate for LGBTIQA+ people in Yarra, foster community connection, a sense of belonging and work towards reducing social isolation.

Provide opportunities for community participation

What will we do?

• Investigate ways to connect and gather in different environments, including natural and urban settings.
• Create spaces for Rainbow youth and young adults to explore their identities, build connections, and access mentorship.
• Support senior Rainbow individuals by creating social program, wellness activities and support groups tailored to their specific needs.
• Facilitate capacity building and mentorship opportunities to enable access to education and employment.
• Build intersectional connections between diverse groups.

Uphold visible representation and inclusion in Council spaces and services

What will we do?

• Ensure that community resources in Council facilities, reflect the diversity of the community, including LGBTIQA+ individuals and families.
• Promote the visibility of LGBTIQA+ families and individuals within public spaces and services.
• Foster an intersectional approach to integrating diverse identities in Council Advisory Groups and Committees. (business, multicultural, ageing, disability) to ensure representation from all sectors of the community.
  

Foster an inclusive city

What will we do?

• Advise on inclusive recruitment practices to increase diversity in the workplace, including in leadership roles.
• Provide staff with the tools to reflect and represent our diverse community in visual communications.
• Raise awareness and provide information to staff on inclusive language practices.
• Align procurement practices with our values to support ethical, inclusive and community driven outcomes.
• Advocate for trans and gender diverse employees to receive appropriate leave and other individual supports when accessing gender affirming care.

Support housing security

What will we do?

• Through ongoing initiatives (such as Yarra Zero), explore and identify innovative social and affordable housing opportunities for groups at risk of homelessness or housing insecurity, including the LGBTIQA+ community.

We promote visibility and maintain accessible LGBTIQA+ spaces.

Make events, activities and sports welcoming and accessible

What will we do?

• Support inclusive access to sporting facilities and promote the growth of diverse sports that celebrate community participation and representation.
• Prioritise accessibility and inclusion at events to support the full participation of LGBTIQA+ people with disabilities and older community members.

Raise awareness and promote relevant services

What will we do?

• Advocate to service providers and other relevant stakeholders to improve access to safe, inclusive and affirming health care for trans and gender diverse communities

Adopt a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment and violence

What will we do?

• Collaborate with local organisations to prevent discrimination and violence, ensuring safety and support for the Rainbow community.
• Investigate gaps and opportunities in intimate partner and family violence support services for LGBTIQA+ communities.
• Address anti-LGBTIQA+ discrimination with tailored campaigns aimed at education and shifting attitudes across the wider community.
• Acknowledge and address the rising prevalence of lateral violence within LGBTIQA+ communities, focusing on prevention and support.
• Protect the community from discriminatory expression.

We focus on improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ individuals by supporting all intersections within the community.

Encourage healthy and active lifestyles

What will we do?

• Create more opportunities for community to connect in alcohol-free spaces.
• Promote current LGBTIQA+ Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) services and therapeutic groups.
• Investigate creative ways to increase opportunities and engagement in physical activities.

Promote mental health and wellbeing

What will we do?

• Investigate gaps and opportunities in the mental health sector for the queer community.
• Collaborate with queer, multicultural, and refugee groups to provide meaningful support on sexuality and gender issues.
• Support initiatives that encourage connections between different generations within the Rainbow community.
• Promote the wellbeing benefits of community participation, such as celebrating volunteerism in the queer community.