Services

• Community Space
• Client Services
• Community Health Promotion
• Lesbian Health
• Youth Services
• SWOP
• Needle and Syringe Program
• Volunteer Counselling
• More info

Community Space

• Distribution of safe sex packs
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• Literature on GLBT health issues and HIV/AIDS
• Lending library (GLBT themed) including info on HIV/AIDS and sexual health
• Public access computers with internet access
• Regional newsletter and gay and lesbian press
• Safe space and chill out lounge
• Safe sex information and resources
• Secondary needle exchange

Client Services

Provides support services, advocacy and referral for GLBT people and everyone living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Client Services offers individual support and assistance including:

• Personal skills development
• Budgeting and financial issues
• Peer support groups
• Referral to relevant services and organisations

Services include provision of workshops and training on HIV/AIDS related issues together with coordination of Sexual Health Clinics and Counselling services at the Branch.

• Advocacy and referral
• Access to financial assistance and budgeting
• CSN support services for PLWHA
• Counselling for GLBT and PLWHA
• Free and confidential Sexual Health Clinic
• Dental scheme access and referral
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• HIV Positive Gay Men’s Health Retreats
• Housing information and referrals
• Information and support for HIV community education
• Individual case work
• Life skills, health and welfare support
• Literature on GLBT health issues and HIV/AIDS
• Low cost Vitamin Service
• Treatments information and resources
• Workshops/training for PLWHA
• SSDV support

Lesbian Health

Provides information, referral, advocacy and support for women who identify as lesbian and bisexual. Services include information and education on lesbian and bisexual women’s sexual health and general wellbeing. This project also provides education and outreach services.

• Advocacy and referral
• Access to financial assistance and budgeting
• Counselling for Lesbians
• Free and confidential Sexual Health Clinic
• Distribution of Safe Sex packs
• Education, community development & health promotion services
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• Housing information and referrals
• Individual case work
• Life skills, health and welfare support
• Literature on GLBT health issues and HIV/AIDS
• Lending library– GLBT themed including HIV & sexual health
• Safe sex information and resources
• Social and support groups for Gay Lesbians

Youth Services

Services include liaison with mainstream youth services, coordination of the local GLBT youth group Young and Proud in Wollongong for those under 18 and outreach to Label Free Youth (Nowra) for people under the age of 24 who identify as GLBT, or questioning their gender or sexual identity. These groups provide support and social opportunities as well as educational workshops on the health and wellbeing of GLBT youth. The Youth Peer Education Officer is also available for client referrals

• Advocacy and referral
• Access to financial assistance and budgeting
• Counselling for GLBT and questioning youth
• Free and confidential Sexual Health Clinic
• Distribution of safe sex packs
• Education, community development & health promotion services
• Housing information and referrals
• Individual case work
• Life skills, health and welfare support
• Literature on coming out
• Lending library (GLBT themed) including info on HIV and sexual health
• Public access computers with internet access
• Safe space and chill out lounge
• Safe sex information and resources
• Social and support groups for GLBT youth

Community Health Promotion

Provides education, information and support services to the local GLBT communities relating to STIs, (sexually transmitted infections) sexual health, general health and wellbeing awareness education, together with safe sex information.

ACON provides a range of educational services and opportunities to the GLBT and general communities, including workshops, seminars, sexual health and GLBT health information and events, Anti-violence and Safe Space projects, anti-homophobia, sexual diversity, discrimination, and sexual health workshops to schools, TAFE and Universities, GLBT and PLWHA sensitivity training for mainstream services, and various outreach services in Southern NSW. Workshops are provided by trained staff and can be tailored to suit specific situations and groups. Contact the ACON office for more information or to book a workshop.

• Distribution of safe Sex packs
• Education, community development & health promotion services
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• Information and support for HIV community education
• Literature on GLBT health issues and HIV/AIDS
• Lending library (GLBT themed) including info on HIV and sexual health
• Public access computers with internet access
• Regional newsletter and gay and lesbian press
• Safe space and chill out lounge
• Safe sex information and resources

Sex Industry Outreach

Offers support, referral and health information to sex industry workers throughout the Illawarra and Shoalhaven areas which includes outreach and distribution of safe sex products to parlours and private workers, as well as advocacy services. The Sex Industry Outreach Worker also co-ordinates a Nurse’s Clinic once a month for sex industry workers in the region.

• Advocacy and referral
• Access to financial assistance and budgeting
• Counselling for sex workers
• Free and confidential Sexual Health Clinic
• Distribution of safe sex packs
• Education, community development and health promotion services
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• Public access computers with internet access
• Safe space and chill out lounge
• Safe sex information and resources

Needle and Syringe Exchange Program

NSPs have been one of the major public health success stories. Australian Governments invested $130 million in NSPs between 1991 and 2000. This resulted in the prevention of an estimated 25,000 cases of HIV and 21,000 cases of hepatitis C among injecting drug users. The savings to the health system in avoided treatment costs over a lifetime are estimated to be between $2.4 and $7.7 billion.  While Needle and Syringe Programs enjoy strong public support in Australia, there have from time to time been misunderstandings about their role.

• Easy access to injecting equipment
• Disposal of used equipment facility
• Access to information
• Support and crisis management
• Health promotion services
• Referral to external services
• Blood Borne Virus service which includes information on HIV and hepatitis C, treatments, alternative therapies and prevention strategies.
• Access to condoms
• Drop in space
• Advocacy and referral
• Free and confidential Sexual Health Clinic
• Distribution of safe sex packs
• Educational resource material on HIV/AIDS and related issues
• Public access computers with internet access
• Safe space and chill out lounge
• Treatments information and resources
• Safe sex information and resources

Volunteer counselling

The volunteer counselling program offers online, face to face and phone counselling to our communities throughout the southern region. This program will also offer after hours counselling and therapeutic groups for Illawarra residents.

More info

Contact: ACON Illawarra

Tel: (02) 4226 1163

Email: illawarra@acon.org.au