About the LGBTIQA+ Mentoring Projects
The LGBTIQA+ Mentoring Projects is a peer-support program for community, by community. We aim to promote support networks and build resilience through identity, skill and community connections, that are vital to LGBTIQA+ social and emotional wellbeing – individually and collectively.
Mentoring is about bringing peers together, where someone is wanting support with coming out, staying discreet, transitioning, navigating relationships with family and loved ones, or just finding themselves and a place in community.
Mentoring is for family members too (of origin and/or choice), who are wanting to understand how to support someone in their life who is LGBTIQA+. For example, your child/young person comes out and you want to learn more about their identity and how to support them, through peer-support mentorship for yourself.
People of any ages, disabilities, races, religions, sexualities, genders, cultural identities, refugee and asylum-seeking experience, and classes can mentor or be mentored.
This service is FREE and runs both online and in-person.
How does Mentoring work?
The LGBTIQA+ Mentoring Projects provide mentoring peer-support through one-on-one mentoring.
One-on-one mentoring means connecting with another person who is a peer from the LGBTIQA+ community. A mentor might have similar experiences, identities, skills, knowledge, interests, hobbies, activities, community connections, and/or give space to talk about what all this means for you, through mentorship. They are not a professional service and cannot substitute for therapeutic or support work.
Mentoring can include catching up to do an activity together, having a conversation, or someone to ask questions.
Our team will provide support alongside your connection with the mentor, before and throughout the mentorship.
Please note that wait times for available and suitable mentors can vary, due to the volunteer and community nature of this program. Our team will provide interim support while waiting to be connected with a mentor. We will chat more with you about this during intake, which is the next stage after completing the sign-up form below.
I’m interested in getting a mentor
Mentoring Projects has put a pause of all new signups for now. We do not have a waitlist, however keep an eye out on this page for updates!
If you would like to find out what forms of support Queerspace does have available, give us a call on 03 9663 6733 or check out our homepage.
If you have a specific question or request relating to the Mentoring Projects program, you can reach us at mentoringprojects@ds.org.au. Unfortunately we are not able to provide an expected time when intake will re-open, as this depends on many factors.
The following services & organisations are available should you need immediate support:
Rainbow Door
- 10am – 5pm AEST, daily
- phone: 1800 729 376 | text : 0480 017 246 | email: support@rainbowdoor.org.au| website: rainbowdoor.org.au/
QLife
- 3pm to midnight AEST, daily
- phone: 1800 184 527 | webchat: qlife.org.au/resources/chat | website: qlife.org.au/
Lifeline
- 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention service
- phone: 13 11 14 | text: 0477 131 114 | webchat: lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/ | website: lifeline.org.au/
I’m interested in becoming a mentor
Firstly, thank you! This program would not exist without the generosity of our wonderful mentors!
The stages to BE A MENTOR are:
- Complete a Mentor sign-up form, at this link here
- Attend a training & induction session, organised by the mentoring team on an as-needed basis
- Complete paperwork to onboard you as a volunteer mentor
- Connect you with a mentee!
- Attend regular supervision catch-ups with program staff, to support you as a mentor
Training and induction (stage 2) is done on an as-needed basis, to ensure we have a good mentor-mentee ratio in the program. This is based on mentee needs, shared with us during intake.
Accessibility information
Click here to see accessibility information.
Have questions?
For any questions about the LGBTIQA+ Mentoring Projects, please contact Drummond Street Services / queerspace via phone on (03) 9663 6733 or email to MentoringProjects@ds.org.au.