EACH has established a Rural Rainbows group in the Yarra Ranges, with a committee of eight LGBTQIA+ young people from the Yarra Ranges, who aim to create a much-needed peer support group.
EACH received an Australia Post Community Grant in late 2021 and conducted a recent online community survey to identify the needs voiced by members of the Yarra Ranges community.
It was decided they will use that to create the peer support group which is expected to be formed sometime next month, supported by the Yarra Ranges Council and Lilydale headspace.
Representatives of the group, Teddy and Finn, said the survey will help them to facilitate the dreams of the Yarra Ranges LGBTQIA+ community.
“Our initial survey gave us great insight into the community’s dreams, and a desire for celebratory events – like a local version of Pride – was a common theme,” they said.
“We don’t have any plans set in stone yet but that’s because we’d like to design these events alongside the young people who want to be part of Rural Rainbows so they can have the best impact possible.”
Rural Rainbows will be a hub of information for young LGBTQIA+ people, a place where they can, socialise with others who have shared experiences, and access resources that can help them on their journey of exploring their identity.
Teddy and Finn said that it’s important for young queer people in the Yarra Ranges to have this space, as they can often feel estranged from the larger cultures of Melbourne and Victoria.
“Having a peer support group led by young people with lived experiences gives other young LGBTQIA+ people a safe system in which to share their experiences and ask for support, or channel their experiences and emotions into organised change within the community,” they said.
“Young people will also be able to find out how to access youth workers and other mental health professionals, and will also be able to connect with our amazing peer leaders to chat about what’s going on for them.”
The group has indicated that cooperating with local schools will be a priority particularly as education and resources were also highlighted as a subject of interest in their community survey. They hope to create partnerships with schools to promote Rural Rainbows as extra-curricular support for students and to facilitate larger-scale projects and events.
Teddy and Finn said they know all too well about the need for a community space outside of the large city groups where young LGBTQIA+ people can feel close to home.
“We want LGBTQIA+ young people to feel seen and heard in their community and know that this has felt tricky or sometimes even impossible in the Yarra Ranges, as we’re all so spread out,” they said
“Rural Rainbows wants to show that it is possible to find a local and loving community and that we are not alone in our dreams for an inclusive and connected Yarra Ranges.”
For anyone who would like to learn more, please reach out by emailing us at RuralRainbows@each.com.au
