LGBTIQA+ inclusion at Holstep Health

We provide safe, high-quality and inclusive services for everyone, as well as tailored support for LGBTIQA+ individuals and communities. Our LGBTIQA+-specific services include:

• QHealth (alcohol and drug support) – a confidential, non-judgmental counselling service for LGBTIQA+ people who want to talk about the impact of alcohol or drug use.
• NQ group – provides psychosocial support to neurodiverse and queer identified people
• Rainbow Crew support for LGBTIQA+ community members who are in a caring role.

At Holstep Health, we are dedicated to building a workplace where all our workforce members feel welcome, safe and thrive at everything they do. We were recognised as an Inclusive Employer by the Diversity Council of Australia (2022–23) and (2024-2025). We run regular staff surveys to improve engagement, safety and inclusiveness. We make reasonable adjustments and offer flexible working options to support individual needs.

Our dedicated group of LGBTIQA+ staff and allies and community members – lead inclusive initiatives, to ensure our workplace and service environments are acknowledging, safe and affirming of the LGBTIQA+ community. Many of our staff members, represent us at events like Midsumma and the Whittlesea Pride Festival. We celebrate key events like Pride Month and IDAHOBIT Day.

Our LGBTIQA+ staff and allies play an important part, to support our organisation with increasing our awareness and visibility of the health-specific needs, that are vital to improving positive health and wellbeing outcomes for LGBTIQA+ communities. 

We actively ensure our workplace spaces and service environments are inclusive, safe and welcoming by:

• maintaining Rainbow Tick accreditation – we provide safe and welcoming spaces and have inclusive practices, policies and procedures to make sure everyone feels safe, and supported when accessing our services, working with us and partnering with us. Our commitment to being recognised as a Rainbow Tick accredited organisation, ensures that we are a safe, inclusive, affirming service provider and employer for LGBTIQA+ people.  
• conducting regular audits of our physical environments for accessibility, equity and inclusion.
• Supporting our staff with being trained in LGBTIQA+ inclusion, to ensure they are aware of the issues faced by LGBTIQA+ people when accessing health services, and enable the development of awareness and skills to create safe and affirming experiences for LGBTIQA+ people.
• supporting transgender, gender-diverse, intersex and non-binary people to use accessible bathrooms they feel most comfortable and safe to use.

We actively advocate for inclusive language,  practices and quality improvement across all areas, including in local, state and national systems. This includes working to ensure inclusive language is embedded in all our databases and materials.

We also participate in networks and partnerships that strengthen LGBTIQA+ inclusion across the region:

• Banyule City Council and Merri-Bek City Council
• Pride in the North Collaborative
• Rainbow Tick Network
• Rainbow Health Australia

We welcome and encourage feedback from clients, staff and community members to help shape and improve our services.

If you would like to tell us what you think or what we could do better, contact us.

• Rainbow Health Australia – this Victorian Government-funded program supports LGBTIQ health and wellbeing through training, research, resources, policy advice and Rainbow Tick accreditation.
• Switchboard Victoria Inc – a community based not-for-profit organisation that provides peer based, volunteer run support service for LGBTIQA+ people and their friends, families and allies. Switchboard runs Out & About, the social support service for older LGBTI+ Victorians, in partnership with the National Community Visitors Scheme.
• QLife – Australia’s first national counselling and referral service for LGBTIQ+ people. QLife provides early intervention, peer-supported telephone and web-based services to people of all ages across the full breadth of bodies, genders, relationships, sexualities, and lived experiences. Call 1800 184 527 from 3pm-12am every day. Qlife also has a Community Resource Directory where you can search for local supports.  
• Rainbow Network – empowering you to provide safer, more inclusive services for young LGBTIQA+ Victorians. Call (03) 9479 8735.
• Queerspace  – family and domestic violence, individual, relationship and whole-of-family counselling, parenting support, youth counselling, group programs, peer support, mentoring and social activities for the LGBTIQA+ community.
• InterLink – Providing mental health and well-being servicesd to people, living with innate variations of sex characteristics and their family members, across all Australian states.  
• FlatOut – FlatOut is a state-wide advocacy for service for people who identify as transgender, women, intersex or gender-, and their children, who have been involved in the criminal justice system. 
• The Fitzroy Legal Service – offers a free specialist LGBTIQA+ Legal Advice Service, known as ‘Q+Law’Call (03) 9419 3744 or see Q+Law – Fitzroy Legal Service
• Minus18 – a web-based support network for LGBTQIA+ young people. Minus18 also hosts social and dance events and workshops.  
• Intersex Peer Support Australia – Health and well-being support for people living with innate variations of sex characteristics  
• DocLIST – The Australian Lesbian Medical Association (ALMA) compiles a national list of doctors and mental health professionals who are recommended by lesbian and bisexual women.
• Rainbow Families – is a leading voice supporting rainbow families across Australia.