Northern Exposure

ACON Northern Rivers is supporting a Uniting Care Ageing LGBTI community consultation on ageing this Saturday, September 15at Eltham Hall (5 Mayfield Street, Eltham) from 9.30am-3pm. Guest speakers will present on their specialised areas and will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding ageing in our community.

Morning tea and lunch are provided and please indicate any dietary requirements. Registration is essential so please contact either Kellie Shields (Uniting Care NSW/ACT) on 0410 619 103 or Roy Starkey (client services officer ACON Northern Rivers) on (02) 6622 1555.

LGBTI seniors are now specifically recognised under the aged care act 1997 and this North Coast community consultation is open to all members of the LGBTI community so come along and have your say and learn what is currently available in the ageing landscape.

As part of the Peace of mind project ACON Northern Rivers will be hosting Rainbow Blues on Tuesday, September 18 at 6pm. Peace of mind is a new ACON project that aims to kick start a conversation in our community about mental health and wellbeing. We know that LGBT community members are more likely to experience some mental health issues than the broader community. Rainbow Blues is a two-hour workshop that will provide some insights into the understanding of depression and anxiety, why it seems to affect more LGBT people, helpful hints on living with depression and how to support someone who is depressed or has an anxiety disorder. Rainbow Blues has been developed in partnership with the national LGBTI Health Alliance MindOUT! Program.

Are you a young person questioning your sexuality or gender identity? If so, come and make new friends, express yourself and enjoy creativity, events and adventures in a confidential, drug and alcohol free, fun, safe and inclusive environment. Fresh Fruits Youth Group is an under 25’s LGBTI social support network and it occurs every second Tuesday 5.30 – 7.30pm in the Lismore area.

Share, grow and celebrate in a discrimination free zone. This wonderful youth group may help reduce social isolation and assist in developing new skills. For more info go to Facebook: facebook.com/freshfruitsgroup, email: [email protected] or phone: (02)6622 6440.

INFO: For more about groups, services, organisations or events in the Northern Rivers contact Tobin Saunders at ACON on 6622 1555 or [email protected].

Tobin Saunders is Community Health Promotion Officer at ACON Northern Rivers