LGBTI Inclusion Award for UnitingCare Ageing

UnitingCare Ageing was recognised for achievement in LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) workplace inclusion at the ‘Pride in Diversity’ Luncheon and Awards last Friday 17 May. As a new category in 2013, it is the first to receive the Not-For-Profit LGBTI Workplace Inclusion Award.

The awards were determined using ‘Pride in Diversity’s’ Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), a free service provided annually by ‘Pride in Diversity’ that evaluates and benchmarks LGBTI inclusiveness in Australian workplaces.
“We are very proud to receive this award,” said Director of UnitingCare Ageing Steve Teulan.

“UnitingCare has a deep commitment to social equality and last year we appointed a LGBTI Project Officer to reach out to older people from the LGBTI communities to help the organisation better meet their needs and to also promote cultural awareness among our staff.
“We are now recruiting LGBTI Champions throughout the organisation and we have already had enthusiastic staff register their interest,” says Mr Teulan.

“Partnerships with LBGTI health and community service organisations have been vital in beginning to break the barriers of concern by the LGBTI community in dealing with faith-based organisations and accessing community and health care services and we look forward to building on this.

“We have a real opportunity to give a voice to the needs of this community as well as creating opportunities for improvements in our own service delivery and employment practices,” Mr Teulan stated.