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About Us |
GLCS has been providing support, information and resources to the West Australian gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community for almost 35 years. In fact, we are the longest running organisation of our kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
As WA’s main community based GLBT service provider our main focus is on providing essential services to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, including our peer counselling phone line and social support groups. We also offer a number of training options for the general community, ranging from one-hour personal perspectives talks to half- and full-day workplace training in diverse sexuality and gender. We also have a successful history of running funded projects, often in partnership with other community groups.
Brief History
GLCS was established in 1974 as the Homosexual Counselling and Information Service of WA. In 1984 the name was changed to the Gay Counselling Service of WA and the organisation became an incorporated body. In keeping with worldwide trends to recognise the contribution and needs of women in the community, the name of the service was changed in 1990 to the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of WA (Inc). In 1999 the name was changed again to the Gay and Lesbian Community Services of WA (Inc) to reflect the wider range of services that GLCS provides. We are the oldest service of our kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
Mission
GLCS provides a positive image of the gay and lesbian lifestyle, identity and point of view to both the gay and lesbian and general communities.
GLCS provides a service which allows people to explore homosexuality as it relates to them personally, without judgement or prejudice. Included in this are issues specific to homosexuality such as identity formation and coming out, as well as general issues such as relationship difficulties.
GLCS sees itself as a part of the gay and lesbian community and considers it vital that strong links are maintained with the community.
In some areas GLCS may adopt the position of acting as a voice for the gay and lesbian community. GLCS has an educational as well as counselling role, both in the gay and lesbian community and in the general community.
GLCS is able to provide a range of counselling options including brief intervention telephone counselling, information provision and referrals.
Funding
GLCS receives some funding from the Health Department of WA. While this money is much appreciated and essential, it covers only our basic costs. Our ability to provide our essential services is dependent on the efforts of our volunteers and additional income from financial memberships, donations and fundraising.
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How to support us |
There are a number of ways you can help keep our unique services operating:
Become a member
As a community-based organisation GLCS relies heavily on its membership base both as a source of income and as the constituency from which we draw our community mandate.
As we head towards our 35th year of providing services to the GLBTI community and enter a new era of providing our Award Winning Opening Closets training program across WA, there has never been a better time to show your commitment to our community and your support for our aims and mission.
In addition to supporting our unique and essential phone counselling line and social support groups, you will be contributing to the provision of training that will reduce homophobia and enhance the ability of mainstream agencies to serve same sex attracted people across the state.
You will be kept abreast of our activities with a quarterly e-newsletter and will have important voting rights at our Annual General Meeting giving you a say in the election of Board Members and the strategic direction of GLCS.
Most importantly you will be making a very real difference in the lives of same sex attracted and gender diverse people across our state.
Download membership form
Make a donation
We are always pleased to receive tax-deductible donations. With our core operating costs being covered by our Health Department grant, all donations go directly towards funding our front line services and supporting/training the volunteers who operate them. In this way, every donation makes a difference.
Sponsorships
If you would like to discuss sponsoring GLCS, please contact us on admin@glcs.org.au. Corporate memberships are available and we can put together a sponsorship package that suits your organisation and capitalises on GLCS’s central position within the gay and lesbian community.
Volunteer
Our service relies entirely on volunteers and we are always keen to hear from people who are willing to take on the challenges, and enjoy the benefits, that meaningful and personally relevant volunteer work can bring.
Volunteer
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