Peer Workers Recognised in Gender Connect Country SA Service

Country SA PHN commissions SHINE SA to deliver the successful Gender Connect Country SA service.  This service provides a safe entry point for transgender, gender diverse, or gender questioning people to receive confidential support, advice, and understanding via lived experience Peer Support Workers.  In addition, the service provides support and education for professionals and organisations who would like to learn more about working inclusively with transgender, gender diverse, or gender questioning community members.

Essential to this service are the peer workers who offer unique understanding and support to people accessing the service.  Recently four SHINE SA Peer Workers have been recognised for their outstanding contribution by being selected as finalists in the 2023 Department of Human Services Pride Awards as part of the Young Achiever Awards/Awards Australia.  

Country SA PHN would like to congratulate Shanii, Lucy, Olympia, and Kaidan, their selection is a wonderful achievement and a testament to their dedication to making a difference in the lives of gender diverse people in country South Australia. We are pleased to announce that Lucy was the winner of the 2023 Department of Human Services Pride Award.

Over the past four years, Gender Connect Country SA has provided over 360 occasions of support for people living in regional and remote South Australia.  Significantly, during the last 6 months more than 50 people accessed the service – the most since the program began, with a large percentage of people answering ‘don’t know’ when asked what other service they may have accessed if not this one.

Evidence shows the number of people identifying as gender diverse is increasing and that the number of people needing support will rise.  With this in mind, Country SA PHN is pleased to announce we will be working with SHINE SA to enhance the hours of operation in order to increase accessibility.

Congratulations SHINE SA on delivering a much needed and successful service.

Gender Connect Country SA

Contact

Phone: 08 7099 5390

Email: [email protected]

WebChat: shinesa.org.au/gender-connect

Hours

Monday – Thursday

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

(Closed Public Holidays)

The Gender Connect Country SA service has also developed a range of factsheets/frequently asked questions which are available on the SHINE SA website: https://shinesa.org.au/gender-connect/