Health Sciences

WHAT IS THIS PROJECT ABOUT?

The Beyond Homophobia project will research the creation of inclusive cultural spaces and services for same sex attracted and transgender young people (SSATY) in Victoria. This work will focus on successful examples of cultural change strategies as well key steps for delivering further change. These will be delivered in a policy blueprint.

Through partnerships with Gay and Lesbian Health, Victoria (GLHV), the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) and the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Intersex Health (GLBTI MAC), we will negotiate the rollout of the blueprint to make real change in the lives of SSAT youth.

The intial component of the project has four stages.

Stage One

We will document the historical context of this project by gathering oral histories from a small number of key people involved with same sex attracted and transgender youth issues in Victoria in the 1970s and 1980s.

Stage Two

We will document positive change since 1998 by interviewing key informants who have worked with SSATY across a variety of sectors over the last 10 years.

Stage Three

We will use an online questionnaire to conduct a needs assessment of the capacity of people currently working with young people to address the needs of SSATY.

Stage Four

We will collaborate with SSAT young people to conduct a needs assessment from their perspectives: what do young people want to change about their experience of the world and the various services they encounter? What sort of cultural strategies do same sex attracted and transgender young people employ to make their own way through a hetero-dominated world?

The project will produce a blueprint for use by workers and policy makers to help build and promote services and institutions that are inclusive of same sex attracted and transgender young people.

WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH THE BLUEPRINT?

In partnership with GLHV, VEOHRC and the GLTBI MAC, the blueprint will be disseminated through services and sectors that deal with SSAT youth. We hope that the dissemination and implementation of the policy blueprint will be influential in encouraging better support provisions for SSATY among service providers in education, health, drug and alcohol addiction, housing and other areas where young people are found.

WHO IS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT?

Associate Professor Anne Mitchell, Dr Lynne Hillier and Dr Daniel Marshall are involved in this project with Daniel taking the main running.

WHAT DO I DO IF I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT?

During the life of the project information about how to get involved will be posted to the site. If you want more information about the project or you would like to be involved, email us or phone Daniel on 92855160.

Dr Daniel Marshall