A group of equal love activists has plans to open the region’s first pride centre and rainbow cafe, which would complement a newly established support group.
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Equal Love Ballarat conveners Koby Bunney and Kirsten Holden held their first LGBTIQ+ support session last week after noticing a gap in services for people over the age of 25.
Ms Holden said the pair had been approached “left, right and centre” for help.
“It was getting pretty desperate because there just isn’t anything for people in that age group in Ballarat,” she said. “We are trying to fill a gap in the best way we know how.”
Mr Bunney said people in rural areas often experienced homophobia and feelings of isolation resulting in a mass of mental health issues.
Feeling ill-equipped to deal with the range of issues, including homelessness and suicide ideation, Mr Bunney and Ms Holden have put themselves through training.
The aim of the community hub will be to ensure all LGBTIQ+ individuals and allies feel supported and know that help is available.
“We’ve always talked about wanting a space in Ballarat where the LGBTIQ community can go to feel safe and access services they may not feel comfortable accessing on their own,” Ms Holden said.
“And to have a social space to meet with friends or just bring a book and read. There just wasn’t that space, other than a bar or a club, where we could feel comfortable to go to and be ourselves.”
The group has already received offers of help including from the Salvation Army and a coffee machine donation from Lake Gardens Family Entertainment Centre.
“We’ve put a call out to the community for any donations if possible,” Mr Bunney said. “Because we are a completely independent organisation that is not government funded. We also want to tell people we are here and give them a safe space to come and be who they are.”
The support group will meet fortnightly on a Monday afternoon at the Ballarat Trades Hall.
Mr Bunney and Ms Holden now have a permanent office at Trades Hall and will run their other organisations from the one location.
These include Equal Love Ballarat and Muscle Hearts, an organisation campaigning for the protection of people who have experienced domestic violence at the hands of men or women.
For more information visit the group on Facebook or the Go Fund Me page.
