Youth charity expands reach in region
A charity set up to support and advocate for the country’s LGBTI+ youth community has expanded its service in Northland.
Rainbow Youth, established in 1989 to provide support, information and advocacy for intersex, queer and gender-diverse youth and to foster safe, inclusive, accepting and diverse family environments that are drug-, smoke- and alcohol-free, has expanded its services in the region with the support of the Northland Community Foundation.
“We know that in Northland there are many rangatahi takatapui in need of support,” Ally Wilson of RainbowYouth said.
“In May 2019 our support manager and executive director travelled around Northland, meeting with many services and young people about the needs and experiences of rainbow communities in the region, and the need for support came through loud and clear from youth who felt isolated and unable to be themselves.
“Our goal is to uplift and empower LGBTI+ youth across Tai Tokerau, along with their friends, whanau and wider communities.”
A long-running peer support group in Whanga¯rei was very well attended, and in 2019 a DHB contract was secured to provide peer support to trans and genderdiverse communities in Auckland and Northland, the first of its kind in the country.
Sydney Heremaia was e the first permanent part-time Northland staff member, and a second group sprang up to cater specifically to the community.
Thanks to the support of the Northland Community Foundation’s Grassroots Fund, Heremaia had now been offered more hours to expand his work as the Tai Tokerau regional coordinator.
“This role is vital in ensuring that our services in Northland go from strength to strength,” Wilson said.