Newcastle Local Services, Groups, and Events:

• ACON Pride Counselling: offers individual counselling services for LGBTQ+ communities.
• LGBTQ+ Friendly Hunter Based Health Professionals Directory
• Newcastle Pride: Newcastle Pride is an inclusive, vibrant and fun not-for-profit LGBTQIA+ community-based organisation established in 2018.
• LGBTQ+ Book Club Newcastle: Anyone interested in Queer history, popular culture, current events, stories and making new connections is welcome.
• Newcastle Monthly LGBTQ+ Events

Mental Health Support:

• QLife:  LGBTQ+ Counselling 3pm - midnight, every day. Via phone or webchat. Anonymous and free. Australia wide. Talk to someone about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings and relationships. For young people, adults, parents.
• Lifeline Australia: A crisis support service that can assist LGBTQIA+ individuals in need.
• Beyond Blue: Offers resources specifically for LGBTQIA+ mental health and wellbeing.
• HERE for LGBTQ+ communities: ACON’s digital suicide prevention hub, connecting the LGBTQ+ community, their loved ones, and service providers to care, support, and resources.
• Directory for LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapists
• Bisexuality Support Services: Bi+ Australia provides specialised counselling support for people who are attracted to more than one gender, or questioning their attraction or sexuality, and their families and loved ones. You can access this service from anywhere in Australia via online video call. There is a fee for this service.
• Headspace: headspace is Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation, providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds.

Online personal education resources & directories:

• The Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources
• Gender 101s: Hunter Gender Alliance online resources to help you understand the basics when it comes to gender diversity.
• Transhub: ACON’s digital information and resource platform for all trans and gender diverse (TGD) people in NSW, loved ones, allies and health providers.
• NSW Health: Online LGBTQ+ resources and support.

Facebook Groups:

Some of these groups post when upcoming events are being held, workshops run by other organizations such as ACON, and fun things like drag shows to go watch.

Please ensure you are practicing online safety when engaging with others on social media. Do not share personal information and exercise caution when meeting up with people. ReadyUp cannot be held responsible for your personal safety.

• Gay Newcastle (Australia) 
• Newcastle Bears 
• Newcastle and Hunter Rainbow Families 
• UON(University of Newcastle) Queer Collective 
• Newcastle Gay Mens Club 
• Queer AF 
• Newcastle Pride Group Page 
• Newcastle Pride Inc 
• Black Rainbow: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ Suicide Prevention
• Hunter Trans Fam
• Lesbians of Newcastle
• Lesbians of Newcastle, Hunter, Central Coast and Surrounds 
• Events for LGBTQ Women – NSW
• Autistic and Queer

LGBTQ+ Youth Support Services:

• Twenty10: Counselling, housing, social support, mental health. Online peer support. Fortnightly hangouts online on Discord. Sydney based, but services all NSW. Young people aged 12-25.
• Minus18: Social inclusion and support. Education and advocacy. Counselling Youth empowerment. Workshops and training, including school workshops. Online zoom catch ups. Good online resources for youth, carers, and family. Good YouTube channel with videos for parents/carers. Facebook page.
• QLife: LGBTQ+ Counselling 3pm - midnight, everyday. Via phone or webchat. Anonymous and free. Australia wide. Talk to someone about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings and relationships. For young people, adults, parents. Peer support, referrals and resources. QLives - YouTube channel. QGuides - Resources for professionals. QLife Directory - Services to help LGBTI people of all ages: crisis support, events and festivals, health, mental health, sexual health, legal and more.
• As You Are (by Headspace): LGBTQ+ youth group 14-21 years old. Online meet ups twice a week. Safe, supervised space for LGBTIQ young people. Social networking and friendships between young people attending that reduces stigma, social isolation and increases self-esteem and connectedness. Group activities. Positive role models. Discussions on current LGBTI affairs and politics. Resources on local LGBTIQ and youth services. Moderated Facebook group.

Sexual Health Screening:

For sexual health screening (blood, urine and/or swab (oral and anal) tests for HIV, Hepatitis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis) there are a few local options:

• Go to your usual GP doctor, and ask for a “Full STI screen” which should include the above 5 STIs/BBVs (Sexually transmitted infections & Blood borne viruses).
• Come to ACON Hunter for our drop-in clinic (no appointments, turn up and wait to be seen by the nurse). 129 Maitland Rd, Islington. Please call on the day to check if the clinic is running due to covid - 4962 7700. Tuesday - 3:30 pm – 6pm and Thursday - 11:00 am – 6pm. (This is an outreach service from Pacific Clinic). You can also pick up free condoms, lube, and dental dams from here (just ask the receptionist), Monday – Friday 9 – 5pm (6pm on Tuesday and Thursday).
• Pacific Clinic is by appointment only, this is a dedicated sexual health clinic. It’s located next to Newcastle KFC in the big health building - Level 2/670 Hunter St, Newcastle West.
• Family Planning in Newcastle – Ground floor, 384 Hunter St, Newcastle. UON (as appointments, and a free youth drop-in clinic for people up to age 24 on Tuesday & Wednesday 12:00pm - 5:30pm. (Can get free condoms here but need to register for a “Condom Credit card” – like a coffee card, every time you pick up condoms, a hole gets stamped on your card, and after 10 free packs condoms you come in for a free STI check).

National Organisations:

• Australian Human Rights Commission: Offers resources and guidance on LGBTQIA+ rights and anti-discrimination.
• LGBTQIA+ Health Australia: Focuses on health issues affecting LGBTQIA+ communities and provides health resources.
• PFLAG Australia: Support for families and allies of LGBTQIA+ individuals, with local chapters across the country.
• Australian Asexuals
• Bi Plus Australia: Bi+ Australia has been developed in direct response to the high rates of poor mental health in bi+ people.

Legal Support:

• LGBTQIA+ Legal Service: Provides legal advice and support on issues affecting LGBTQIA+ individuals.
• Inner City Legal Centre: ICLC provides a statewide legal advice service for the LGBTIQ community. They can provide advice on same sex parenting, surrogacy, de facto relationships, discrimination, homophobic or other violence and vilification, neighbourhood disputes, domestic violence and employment.
• Equality Australia: Equality Australia is a national organisation dedicated to equality for LGBTIQ+ people. They combine legal, policy and communications expertise with thousands of supporters to ensure LGBTIQ+ people are treated with dignity and respect.