WayOut honoured

Victorian gay and lesbian youth support group, the WayOut Project has received an honourable mention in Suicide Prevention Australia’s LIFE Awards.

WayOut Project coordinator Sue Hackney told Southern Star Observer she thought it was the first time the SPA awards had recognised a GLBTI group working to prevent suicide in local communities.

“It’s really important to be recognised by your peers in this way,” Hackney said.

“It’s great that it raises the profile of the needs of our young people and the difficulties our young people are facing.”

Hackney said she hopes the recognition will help to ensure WayOut remains adequately funded to support rural same-sex attracted young people across the state.

WayOut was established as part of a Government-funded pilot in 2002. Since initial funding ran out the group has struggled to stay afloat.

Last year Hackney spoke out publicly about her frustration at a failure of the state Government to support projects to protect young GLBTI people from harm.

WayOut’s fortunes have, however, changed recently. The group pocketed a $30,000 grant last year after Mental Health Week and received a one-off $100,000 boost announced in the May budget as part of a Brumby Government promise to tackle youth suicide.

Since its establishment, WayOut has instigated the OUTthere Rural Victorian Youth Council for Sexual Diversity, a group of young people aged between 16 and 25 years who meet regularly to advocate on behalf of same-sex attracted youth in remote areas.

The Council recently produced a report which was sent to Youth Minister James Merlino calling for a code of conduct to prevent homophobia in Government-funded FreeZA youth events.

The annual LIFE Awards have been running since 2006 and coincide with International World Suicide Prevention Day.

Last year SPA called for an improved response to GLBTI suicide and self-harm, finding that same-sex attracted people attempt suicide at a rate of 3.5 to 14 times greater than their heterosexual counterparts, and one in five transgender people report current suicidal feelings.