Introducing the Pride in Southern Promise. |
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In the midst of this week's Mardi Gras celebrations, it is my pleasure to announce the launch of Southern's new LGBTIQ+ Strategy: the Pride in Southern Promise. |
We all agree: every person in our community should have easy access to health care that is welcoming, respectful, and safe — care that meets their unique needs and improves their physical and mental wellbeing. |
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people don’t always experience this. Cara is a young transgender person who grew up in Goulburn. In the video below, she shares the challenges she faces finding the right care to support her transition. |
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Cara's experience is not uncommon. Many LGBTIQ+ people in New South Wales tell stories of negative experiences when they seek care — stories of being unwelcome, disrespected, excluded, or fearful of being themselves. Others talk of being treated by someone that didn’t have the right understanding of their health needs.
This means many will delay or avoid seeking care. Some LGBTIQ+ people are completely unable to reach life-altering advice or services. Barriers to care mean that our LGBTIQ+ family, friends and neighbours tend to be in poorer health than most others.
The Pride in Southern Promise is our plan to address this; it sets forth our two-fold promise to the queer community: |
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Care that is safe, tailored, and within reach for all LGBTIQ+ people in our community. |
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A workplace where LGBTIQ+ staff are safe, included, and comfortable to bring their whole self. |
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The primary goal of the Promise is for Southern to achieve Rainbow Tick Accreditation. The six accreditation standards, once fulfilled, will transform the way Southern provides care. |
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The Pride in Southern Promise is our commitment to ensuring all LGBTIQ+ people are cared for, whether they work for Southern or are accessing our services. |
In the video below, several Southern staff share their reason for supporting the Pride in Southern Promise. |
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Southern can grow to provide care that is safe, tailored, and within reach for all LGBTIQ+ people in our community. We can create environments that are welcoming, respectful, and free from presumptions. We can support our staff to learn about the things that are important to LGBTIQ+ people. We can earn trust with stronger privacy and data collection systems. We can be more proactive in providing care that goes beyond immediate health needs, and we can clear a path for anyone
struggling to find the right help. Work is already underway to map the practical initiatives needed to achieve Rainbow Tick. In the short term, all staff will have the opportunity to sign up for new online learning modules about LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the workplace and in service delivery — keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, learn more about our journey ahead by reading Pride in Southern Promise on myHub. |
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The annual Mardi Gras season will reach its crescendo on Saturday as thousands of queer people and allies march through the centre of Sydney. Australia's largest celebration of diverse LGBTIQ+ communities brings a burst of colour and creativity to Sydney. If you want to join the fun, you can watch the parade live on ABC at 7:30pm. Thank you to the hundreds of staff who attended Southern's Mardi Gras events this week. What a fabulous way to celebrate love, expression and inclusion together. |
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Southern’s purpose is to ‘improve the health and wellbeing of the
community we serve’. Acknowledging and removing the barriers
faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer
people will allow us to fulfil this purpose.
I look forward to our journey towards Rainbow Tick together. — Benjamin Hodgson
Pride in Southern Project Manager |
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In the true spirit of Reconciliation and through embracing the values of collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment, Southern NSW Local Health District acknowledges and pays respect to the traditional custodians of the land; the Gundungurra, Ngambri, Ngarigo, Ngunnawal and Yuin peoples. We share and celebrate the rich history of the Aboriginal culture and recognise the diverse and proud Aboriginal nations across our district.
Southern NSW Local Health District acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, community members and staff for their ongoing contribution to society and their commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. |
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