Length
03:07
Summary
Emergency Management Victoria are proud to support the LINE Wangaratta Pride Hub through the Bushfire Recovery Grant for Local Government Authorities and Community Service Organisations, aiding regional communities in their journey towards rebuilding and resilience. Find out more about how this grant helped the LGBTIQA+ North East Victorian community to expand and rethink their recovery efforts.
Transcript
Al Winters, Executive Officer, LINE Wangaratta:
[Image of LINE Wangaratta Inc. Pride Hub LGBTIQA+ Books Gender Affirmative Clothing sign]
LINE stands for LBGTIQA+ in the North East and we are a not-for-profit charity and we coordinate social inclusion programs, education workshops, celebration events and do some advocacy for LGBTIQA+ people, their friends, families, allies across the whole of north east Victoria. Today we have an art program on and we do these once every fortnight. We call it an ‘crafternoon’ where people just come in. They can start a new project; we have a lot of art and craft supplies here and people are chatting and getting to know each other and having a cuppa and they’re just bonding. LBGTIQA+ people are disproportionately affected by mental health, domestic violence, homelessness and unfortunately those statistics are worse off in regional areas and we have found that the people that we have been engaged with are particularly socially isolated, some are quite geographically isolated, our region is quite large so there is a big disparity between the experiences of LGBTIQA+ people in regional areas compared to metro areas.
[sign ‘You are loved’, ‘Protect trans kids’ and pamphlets titled ‘Let’s Build Trans Inclusion: displaying the trans flag signals to others you’ll respect their identity.’ Minus18 minus18.org.au]
We opened this amazing building; the Pride Hub in February 2023 and we provide financial support as well as free toiletries and free clothing for people who need it. We do some peer support programs as well that people can just get together and connect and hopefully through that connection people can feel as if they are wanted and are needed, are celebrated, they feel like they are part of something so most of what we do is around social connection.
[be the rainbow pink badge and pronoun preferences badges]
We saw this opportunity through ACRE (Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship) which is the REJUVENATE program which is funded through Emergency Recovery Victoria that fit well with where we are now with the organisation. We’ve opened our Pride Hub, we’re already needing to expand, we’re in this interesting space where we need to build our own capacity to take that next step so that we can help community members. It’s given us this confidence to rethink recovery because we never would’ve considered applying for bushfire recovery funding back in 2020. We wouldn’t have thought that it was relevant to what we were doing. Now, if there is some sort of catastrophe, we’re in a position now where we are able to go into a relief centre and provide education to volunteers so that they are safe-inclusive because we know that LGBTIQA+ people are going to be there.
[LGBTIQA+ Advocacy group standing with each smiling and holding pro-LGBTIQA+ signs]
We are so much more confident in our ability to advocate for community in those instances.
[Group presentation in room with LINE Wangaratta Inc Pride Hub on screen]
[Group of LGBTIQA+ members in social group and in pride colours with banner with ‘LGBTIQA+ in the North East. Committed to seeing positive, genuine change in North East Victoria’ on oval in colourful and diverse group]
Ideally, I want us not to exist because we’re not needed, because everyone feels safe and welcome and everyone is happy, healthy, and well and that’s my real end point is that I put myself out of work.
[Child holding up a drawing with ‘I love rainbows’ and ‘I like everyone’ written on it]
[Emergency Recovery Victoria logo]
[End transcript]
Updated