Economist, Saul Eslake, announced as LGBTI support service patron

Burnie service receives LGBTI inclusion award

Tasmania’s gender, sexuality and intersex status support and education service

• Burnie Service receives Dorothies Award for LGBTI inclusion
• Prominent economist, Saul Eslake, announced as patron of Working It Out
• Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Sarah Bolt, announces faith focus for next year’s awards

This morning May 17th, International Day Against Homophobia, 160 people attended the 6th Working It Out IDAHO breakfast.

Georgie Harman, Chief Executive Officer of beyondblue, presented Wellways Burnie with the 2017 Dorothies Awards for their inclusive Mental Health Practise for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex Tasmanians and their friends and family.

Working It Out Executive Officer, Susan Ditter said “It is significant that the award is going to an organisation in the North West of the state, the original home of Working It Out and a region often perceived as socially conservative.

Georgie Harman said “It is important to remember that having inclusive services which have appropriately trained staff who understand the experiences of LGBTI people means better mental health outcomes”.

The chair of the Working It Out Board, Felicity Smart also announced former ANZ chief economist, Saul Eslake, as patron of the organisation. Mr Eslake said “I feel honoured to have been asked to take on this role as Patron of Working It Out. I look forward to helping Working It Out in assisting Tasmanians, especially young Tasmanians within the education sector, negotiate their gender, sexuality and intersex status, and in combating the fear, prejudice and discrimination which they face”

Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Sarah Bolt, announced the Dorothies Award focus for 2018. The focus will be Inclusive Practice by a faith-based organisation giving schools, aged care facilities, and welfare organisations as well as places of worship the opportunity to be recognised for their inclusive practice.

Today’s breakfast is an annual event to mark IDAHOT, the international day against the prejudice and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Working It Out marks IDAHOT Day by presenting the Dorothy Awards for inclusive practice. The awards are named after Rev Dorothy McRae-MacMahon, a prominent religious and LGBTI community leader who was born in Tasmania.

www.workingitout.org.au
Rodney Croome, just.equal