Switchboard Victoria Inc is a community based notforprofit organisation that provides peer based, volunteerrun support services for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities and their allies, friends and families. Switchboard is the Victorian partner in the national QLife telephone and web peer support, information and referral service, funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government. This free peerbased service is for LGBTIQA+ people and those with questions or concerns about LGBTIQA+ issues including families, friends, teachers and coworkers of LGBTIQA+ people. Our Out & About program aims to reduce social isolation and loneliness through creating friendship and connection between LGBTI+ seniors in Victoria and peer volunteer visitors. Switchboard s Suicide Prevention program puts responding to the challenges of suicide among LGBTIQA+ communities at the core of Switchboard s work. We work nationally to provide suicide prevention, intervention and postvention programs, with an emphasis on building community resilience through peerled and lived experience activities. The Queer, Trans, Intersex and Bla(c)k and/or People of Colour (QTIBPoC) program aims to build greater equity for LGBTIQA+ people who are Bla(c)k, People of Colour and/or people of faith through storytelling and workshops driven by lived experience. Our QTIBPoC program is a space to cocreate, coexist, and envision cultural shifts for and by Bla(c)k and/or People of Colour and people of faith. In addition, the QTIBPoC program builds internal capacity to meet QTIBPoC community needs across all of Switchboard s services and areas of work. Rainbow Door is s free specialist LGBTIQA+ service providing phone and webbased information, support and referral for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, family violence (including elder abuse) and issues with housing, alcohol and other drugs, relationships, sexual assault, legal issues, mental health and wellbeing, and social isolation. Rainbow Door also provides specialist secondary consultation to other services. Switchboard delivers a range of training to the community and service sector organisations. Courses include: LGBTIQA+ inclusive practice; how to recognise and respond to family/ intimate partner violence; how to talk about suicide safely; everyday racism in the workplace; and peer support training. Switchboard is also accredited to deliver LivingWorks programs ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and safeTALK. Our Rainbow Families program connects and supports LGBTIQA+ parents, coparents, carers and their families through social events, online support groups and advocacy. The program coordinates a community of practice to support services to develop and deliver rainbow family inclusive better practice across Victoria. Rainbow Families offers consultation, training and support to all levels of government.
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