Switchboard

Switchboard Victoria is a community-based not for profit organisation that provides a peer based, volunteer run support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people, their families, allies and communities.

The Switchboard team

Website:
http://www.switchboard.org.au

Email:
admin@switchboard.org.au

Phone:
General Enquires (03) 9663 2474 | Counselling 1800 184 527 (3pm – Midnight)

Social media:

Who we are

We serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people, their families, allies and communities.

Our mission is to provide peer-driven support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people, their families, allies and communities.

We’re staffed by paid staff and trained volunteers who themselves are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer.

What we do

Phone and web counselling and referral service

Switchboard is the Victorian partner in the national telephone and web counselling, information and referral service  QLife. This free peer based service is for LGBTIQA+ identifying people and those who have questions or concerns about LGBTIQA+ issues. This includes families, friends, teachers and coworkers of LGBTIQA+ people.

We’re available to chat from 3:00pm to 12:00am seven days on tel: 1800 184 527 webchat: www.qlife.org.au

Out & About Community connections for older people

Out & About is a peer service connecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) people across Victoria. Out & About aims to reduce social isolation and loneliness experienced by older members of our LGBTI community. We do this by creating community connections and encouraging (intergenerational) friendships.

Out & About connects friendly LGBTI volunteer visitors with people living at home or in aged care as part of the national Community Visitors Scheme. We match our community visitors with LGBTI seniors based on shared interests and hobbies. The pair then engage in regular visits every week or fortnight, either at home or another location. These social visits could include having a chat over coffee or tea, watching a film, attending a community event, participating in a hobby, game or any other enjoyable social activity.

QTIPoC project

Switchboard runs a QTIPoC project aiming to build greater equity for Queer and Trans Indigenous Peoples and/or People of Colour and People of Faith.

  • The QTIPoC Project can offer tailored professional development and training on the following topics:
  • LGBTIQA+ multicultural and multi faith cultural competency
  • Anti racism and racial literacy
  • Intersectionality
  • Self-reflexivity on power and inequality

w/respect

Switchboard is a partner in the Victorian LGBTIQA+ family violence and intimate partner violence prevention service. This service, launched on September 3 2018, is called w/respect. This service is managed in partnership with Drummond Street Services, Thorne Harbour Health, Transgender Victoria and Switchboard. Switchboard’s primary service delivery role in the consortia is to manage the after-hours telephone support line.

Suicide Prevention

Switchboard in 2019 established a dedicated Suicide Prevention role inside Switchboard. This role is in recognition of the elevated levels of suicide that is experienced in our community. The Switchboard Suicide Prevention Program includes addressing the needs of those who are bereaved and affected by suicide in our community.