By Callum Ludwig
Rural Rainbows came to the Yarra Ranges this year, hosting fortnightly gatherings at the Lilydale Youth Hub and becoming a great success among the young LGBTQIA+ community in the Yarra Ranges.
Plans are now in place to expand Rural Rainbows in the region, with a Healesville and Yarra Junction group set to be established in early 2023.
Adrian from the Rural Rainbows team said the group have done all sorts of fun activities since their first meeting in April.
“We ‘ve had Games n’ Chill sessions, celebrated Pride month, learnt about Queer History, and even attended the Minus 18 Queer Formal at the National Gallery of Victoria,” Adrian said.
“We’d love to try and bring our groups to Healesville and Yarra Junction too so that young people in this area can have a chance to connect with their peers, share experiences and have heaps of fun in a safe and inclusive environment.”
Anyone aged 12-25 who lives, works or plays in the Yarra Ranges and identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community or is questioning is welcome to join the existing Lilydale group or one of the new groups in Healesville or Yarra Junction. The Lilydale group meets every second Wednesday evening from 5pm to 7pm.
A survey is currently underway to give anyone interested the chance to indicate what they would like to see from a support group. The survey can be found here: https://forms.office.com/r/xAMevCEf9b
If anyone has any questions or wants to find out more, they can get in contact at RuralRainbows@each.com.au.
