Victorian Government announces $400K funding for LGBTI seniors program
Image: (Photo by Paola Kizette Cimenti via Flickr Creative Commons)
THE Victorian Government has just announced $402,000 in funding over three years for Val’s Cafe, a program that promotes and advocates for the health, wellbeing and social inclusion of older LGBTI people.
Equality Minister Martin Foley made the announcement ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) tomorrow.
Val’s Café is named after a Melbourne coffee lounge established by Val Eastwood that became a gay-friendly meeting place in early 1950s, during a time when LGBTI people faced persecution.
The project was established in 2009 to work with aged-care facilities and help providers understand the histories and experiences of their older LGBTI clients.
The project has since conducted groundbreaking research and provided the latest information on LGBTI health and wellbeing to the aged care sector through publications, professional development training, awareness events, partnerships, and direct support to LGBTI seniors.
In the past, older LGBTI people sometimes went “back into the closet” as they feared discrimination when accessing services such as retirement homes.
“LGBTI seniors shouldn’t have to get back in the closet as they grow older,” Foley said this morning.
“[Val’s Cafe] is unique in Australia and is breaking new ground every day with programs that significantly improve the lives of older LGBTI people.”
The project now has 450 members and 5000 monthly online visitors to its website. It has provided support to more than 4000 staff across the aged-care sector, with the goal of ensuring that LGBTI Victorians can be respected for who they are as they grow older.
Val’s Café is part of the Sexual Health and Ageing Program at La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society.
Proud to stand for equality & diversity @ValsCafe_AU – $400k support for senior #LGBTI #IDAHOT2015 #springst pic.twitter.com/B3UhsEuKhk
— Martin Foley (@MartinFoleyMP) May 16, 2015
As part of the state budget last week, the government announced it would establish a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Taskforce, with a dedicated Health and Human Services Working Group and a Justice Working Group.
Foley today encouraged people to submit expressions of interest to join the taskforce and working groups, which will advise the government on key issues affecting LGBTI Victorians and help guide the equality policy agenda.
Expressions of interest are now open and close on June 7. Details: www.dpc.vic.gov.au/LGBTItaskforce
This funding is long overdue!
However, this budget is just a typical distraction away from other LGBTI issues in Victoria. This is clearly because the government can not simply get passed the upper house because they are 1 seat short and have ABANDONED these issues – such as the HIV Law (Crimes Act Section 19A Repeal), Adoption Reform, Interstate/International Relationship Recognition and Equal Opportunity Reform!
Labor has the majority of seats in the lower house and Labor, Greens and the Sex Party have 20 seats in the upper house, just 1 seat short of a majority of passing the very urgent VIC LGBTI Agenda!
How wonderful.
Now how about the 2.5 million living in poverty or maybe the 1 in 6 kids on the poverty line???
Several measures from the vic govt having been recently dumped by the Andrews govt. now I can see where the votes must be….
They’d love some ‘equality’ too sometime soon.
Still give more to forigners to invade, just a token guesture. Like giving a pea to a thirsty person, while the fat bastards are having a feast
Wendy Bennett
good start…. but i will not vote for alp……
awesome vision