Leading the way for Regional Victoria: Announcement of LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practice Conference
Northeast Health Wangaratta are working towards inclusive practice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) patients, carers, visitors and staff. As part of this process, the project team have joined forces with Gateway Health, Benalla Health, NESAY and Goulburn Valley Pride to coordinate the upcoming LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practice Conference supported by the Victorian Government.
This is the first conference of its kind for regional Victoria.
Mx Allison Winters, the chairperson for the organising committee stated “This online event will be provided free of charge to people working, studying or volunteering in health and wellbeing services and organisations, and will enable them to learn about LGBTQIA+ inclusive practice and connect with peak organisations.”
“State-based and local services are scheduled to present at the online conference, including Transgender Victoria, Rainbow Health Victoria, Intersex Human Rights Australia, Val’s LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care and Gateway Health’s Gender Service”, Mx Winters said.
The event will be held across four days from Monday 8th to Thursday 11th February, with 19 different education sessions scheduled.
Mr Peter Muldoon, conference committee member and the Health Promotion Coordinator & Equity and Participation Officer at Gateway Health said, “Gateway Health is proud to partner with local services to deliver this exciting conference to the region. Being online, the knowledge gained can spread even further afield and the LGBTIQA+ inclusive practice initiatives can be embedded in more workplaces than ever.”
The Conference encourages and supports other services, organisations and businesses within Wangaratta and North East Victoria to work towards inclusive practice for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We know that regional and rural LGBTQIA+ community members have experienced worsening isolation and exclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic and community connections and access to safe services is more important than ever”, Mx Winters said.
The LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Practice Conference volunteers and students from hospital and community based settings from Aged Care facilities, Domestic Violence and Social Work Services, emergency services, mental health are encouraged to attend.
The conference will benefit leadership and senior management, change makers, clinical staff, advocates and LGBTQIA+ champions.
In addition, anyone in health that is passionate about inclusive practice and interested in taking skills and knowledge learnt back to their individual organisations is encouraged to attend.