Empowering LGBTQ Community Workers: Walking Between Worlds Seminar – Gold Coast-Brisbane-Northern NSW

Presented by Anthony Venn-Brown OAM

Co-hosted by the Universal Church of Love Inc., a groundbreaking seminar is set to take place, targeting professionals who work closely with LGBTQ individuals. This event is specifically designed to address the challenges faced by LGBTQ people of faith and equip community workers and service providers with the necessary knowledge and tools to better assist their clients.

LGBTQ individuals who hold religious beliefs often find themselves caught between two contrasting worlds. They undergo the same journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and finding their place in the community, but with greater intensity and additional issues to contend with. Research has revealed that LGBTQ individuals from faith backgrounds are at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and suicidality, making it crucial for service providers to understand their unique mental health concerns.

The seminar aims to shed light on the impact of faith and sexuality conflict, which manifests in intense cognitive dissonance, self-destructive behaviors, internalized homophobia, loss of purpose and self-esteem, higher risk of HIV and STI infection, trauma and grief, difficulties in forming connections, and obsessive behaviors and addictions. By recognizing these challenges, community workers can foster an environment that promotes healing, support, and empowerment.

Specialized training plays a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of community workers and service providers in their work with LGBTQ people of faith. Understanding their background, worldview, belief systems, and the specific mental health issues they face enables professionals to create safe and non-judgmental spaces where individuals can authentically express themselves and seek assistance.

The seminar welcomes various professionals who work with LGBTQ individuals, including LGBTQ community workers, social and youth workers, mental health professionals, school and telephone counselors, chaplains, church workers, healthcare providers, and youth workers. By bringing together professionals from diverse backgrounds, the seminar cultivates a rich learning environment where attendees can share their experiences and expertise.

Participants can expect to achieve several learning outcomes throughout the training program. These include gaining an in-depth understanding of the complexities of faith and sexuality conflicts, learning separate strategies to address belief systems, sexual identity, and scriptural teachings, discovering how to create non-judgmental and safe spaces for LGBTQ people of faith, identifying specific issues faced by this community, understanding best practices when working with LGBTQ people of faith, exploring additional support mechanisms, and comprehending the phenomenon of the "Closet hokey pokey" and its impact.

The seminar will be held on Saturday, 1 July 2023, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Southport Community Centre, Room G4, 6 Lawson St, Southport QLD 4215. Registration is required, and interested individuals can sign up by visiting the provided registration link. 

The co-hosted seminar by the Universal Church of Love Inc. offers a unique opportunity for professionals to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by LGBTQ people of faith. By attending this seminar, community workers and service providers will be better equipped to assist and support their clients on their personal journeys towards self-acceptance, mental well-being, and spiritual harmony.