Family Services York Region is the new face and place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community.
This month, the agency received a $300,000 grant over four years from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to create and implement a service hub for the region.
For Keswick’s Michael Taggert, that means he can get services and information closer to home.
“We’re a little farther (ahead) as a community to becoming more inclusive,” said Mr. Taggert, 23, who came out as homosexual in Grade 10.
“This is a place to reach out to that’s secure. This is for anyone who is questioning themselves.”
Although the funding will go a long way to develop programs and services, there is still a lot of inclusivity work to be done.
“This will give LGBT people more options,” Mr. Taggert said. “The community didn’t become more open because of this (funding) — not yet. Hopefully, it will help to become more open.”
The service hub will include an information, referral and support hotline, online therapy, focus groups and community panels, family services executive director Elisha Laker said.
“E-Therapy will give access to LGBT services safely,” Mr. Laker said. “It’s hard, especially for youth, to come out for services and feel safe while doing it.”
The online therapy and counselling is geared to engaging LGBT youth in the area. Alongside online therapy, Family Services is also training support workers for face-to-face counselling.
“We want to reduce isolation with a wrap-around support system,” Mr. Laker said.
Funding will also develop marketing and business plans as well as an education program for regional high schools.
“High school, at the best of times, is difficult,” Mr. Laker said. “Not seeing an LGBT sign at school is critical for these students. There are still people who roll their eyes when you say gay or lesbian.”
Family Services seeks to create a centralized information, resources and services hub so LGBT people don’t have to travel to Toronto for services, LGBT community outreach co-ordinator Barbara Urman said.
“In Toronto, it’s very visual,” she said. “There is no one organization for people here to turn to. It’s exciting to see the region stepping out of what it traditionally does to provide services for this marginalized group.”
The first stage of the project is to create community advisory panels and focus groups to organize marketing and education programs, but there are also plans to create a calendar and inventory of places and events for the LGBT community.
“It’s all underground. We need to get word on the street about where to get services,” Ms Urman said. “We want to help people find ways to be out in their community.”
For more information or to become involved in LGBT-sensitive training or the FSYR focus panel, visit www.fsyr.ca
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