Rainbow Tick

The Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) has been successful in achieving Rainbow Tick Accreditation - a nationally recognised benchmark for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) inclusive practice.

In addition, AHCSA are proud to announce that we are the first Aboriginal organisation to accomplish this. In late 2019, the AHCSA Board gave their approval for AHCSA to pursue the QIP Rainbow Tick Accreditation, and so a working group at AHCSA was formed to progress the accreditation. After attending training in Melbourne in January 2020, the team decided to make the process more relevant to AHCSA and so created an in-house staff training with a specific focus on Aboriginal LGBTQIA+ people.

Throughout the accreditation process, AHCSA was guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ community members to develop unique and innovative training and supports centred on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ experiences and needs.

Although achieving this accreditation ensures that AHCSA is a safe space, it also acknowledges that there is more work to be done.

AHCSA remains committed to ongoing work towards the elimination of discrimination and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ people, whilst simultaneously making its practices and programs more inclusive. An urgent next step is the extension of this Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focused LGBTQIA+ training and supports for delivery throughout Aboriginal Community Controlled Health services and the wider Aboriginal health sector.