Gold Coast’s Longest Running LGBTQIA+ Support Service Closes Down

Expanded Horizons and the Ultraviolet Expressions Program, one of Queensland’s longest-running services for LGBTIQAP+, sistergirl, and brotherboy people, has closed its doors after 17 years.

The Gold Coast organisation offered individual case management as well as community services.

Through its dedicated safer space QSPACE, it ran tailored support and social groups for children and adults, offered drop-in peer support and connection with other services, held in-person and online events, advocated for the community and provided advocacy training, and even hosted DnD campaigns.

Ultraviolet Expressions Program

Originally operating as Expanded Horizons and supporting both LGBTIQAP+ and CALD communities, the service was funded through the federal government initiative as part of the National Suicide Prevention Program.

Funding was then provided by the Gold Coast Primary Health Network through Wesley Mission Queensland.

The peer-led Ultraviolet Expressions Program was subsequently set up in 2023 when Expanded Horizons was decommissioned.

A message on their Facebook page reads:

“You worked so hard to keep this program going, to keep the energy and joy of Qspace alive and well.”

“We are so sorry to be saying goodbye to you and to the groups Calleigh and Jade have been running for a combined 16 years! But you’ll be sure to see us across the Gold Coast in our various other roles.”

Jade Mirabito on the importance of the Ultraviolet program and support for queer youth

Jade Mirabito, a former employee and facilitator of the programs spoke to the Star Observer about the loss of these important programs on the Gold Coast and his personal connection to the program.

“I’ve spent the last decade running numerous LGBTIQAPSB+ youth programs across the Gold Coast. All of them are now closed” he stated.

Jade recalls the importance of such programs for them growing up and his need for them in the community.

“As a queer teen, I got to access Open Doors Youth Service. My peers and I needed experiences of community connection in safe structured spaces, older mentors allowing us for the first time to visualise a future for openly trans people in a professional space. I’ve seen the incredible positive impacts in mental health and lifelong friends as both a participant and facilitator.”

“To see these services get continually deprioritised through funding cuts and eventual closure between 2017-2024 has been heartbreaking.”

He warns of the impact the closure is having on queer youth in the community as they struggle with their fears for the future.

“Funding stressors have had such a negative impact on the wellbeing of our local youth community, sharing with me their fears for their future, loss, sense of abandonment and distrust in new services.”

“Yet they keep stepping up to plead for the value of these programs time and time again. They shouldn’t have to give so much for the continuation of a service designed to support them.”

“The UEP Co-Design report highlights that the Gold Coast needs peer facilitated psychosocial group programs that aren’t time restricted. The beauty in programs like these is that participants can attend whenever they want. They build professional relationships and rapport with trusted, trained workers which develops help seeking behaviour and community skills.”

“Participants choose to step up and step down autonomously instead of enforced by a model of support based on time.”

“We needed more groups like Qspace, not less.”

Staff members experienced threatening emails, homophobic parents and vandalism

The closure comes as the Gold Coast struggles to build community and provide resources for its queer population.

While new organisations like Gold Coast Rainbow Communities and a new gay bar have sprung up to fill the gap, advocates say there is still much to be done to cultivate inclusivity in Australia’s sixth-largest city.

Expanded Horizon’s co-design report states that staff members experienced threatening emails, homophobic parents, vandalism, protesters outside the service site, vulgar prank calls, and vexatious double-booking for event spaces.

Nerida Groth, organiser of pop-up queer disco Goldy’s, told the ABC that “Being queer often comes with a whole traumatic history of rejection, disowning and feeling disenfranchised. To then move somewhere that’s affirming that through the lack of community can be pretty depressing.”

Vince Siciliani, a founder of Gold Coast Rainbow Communities observed that “The LGBTIQ community has its own special needs and they’re not being met. You’ll find they’ll drive all the way into Brisbane for that.”