Hear what’s hip and happening in the west and have your say in our GLBTIQ community forum.
Melbourne’s western region councils unite, inviting GLBTIQ community members and their friends along to this action-packed forum.

Celebrate the wins of the west and hear about GLBTIQ inclusion strategies initiated by the partnerships between western region councils, organisations and communities.

Help to review the impact of these initiatives and have your say about the opportunities and priorities for the future. The forum will include entertainment, discussion and an expo of local services supporting members of the GLBTIQ communities in the west. The forum is proudly presented as a partnership between the western region councils of: Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and Wyndham.

The forum will focus on audience participation and discussion, and presentations from key speakers including:

Mayor of Hobsons Bay, Cr Colleen Gates
CEO of Basketball Victoria, Julie Anderson
CoHealth Director Advocacy and Partnerships, Jason Rostant
ARCSHS, Faculty of Health Sciences La Trobe University, David Mejia-Canales
GLBTIQ Western Region Councils’ Working Group speakers Matthew Wilson (Melton City Council) and Joanna Nevill (Hobsons Bay City Council).
The forum will be emceed by the fabulous Kaye Sera and facilitated by Daniel Witthaus from the National Institute of Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE).

The purpose of the forum ‘Out Is In’ will be to:

review the impact of existing GLBTIQ inclusion initiatives undertaken by local councils, organisations and community in the west and identify how the western region councils might better support and advocate for GLBTIQ communities.
provide an opportunity for western region councils and organisations already engaged in GLBTIQ inclusion initiatives to network and consult with GLBTIQ residents.
provide an opportunity for those interested in GLBTIQ issues of importance but not yet undertaking any action to increase their understanding of relevant issues and how they can play a role.
The event will create a dialogue to explore the role of community and local organisations to address homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and what we can all do to make a difference.