Australia’s largest LGBTQ+ health organisation, ACON, has launched a new Impact Strategy that sets out its vision and priorities for the next stage of its work improving the health and wellbeing of sexuality and gender diverse people and people living with HIV in NSW.
The ACON Impact Strategy 2025–2030 outlines how ACON will measure its impact, expand successful programs and ensure quality across all areas of work. It sets out five key priorities: adapting HIV programs to respond to a more complex epidemic, expanding psychosocial health services, increasing preventive health education, strengthening community connection and advancing inclusion across workplaces, sport and society.
ACON CEO Michael Woodhouse said the Strategy provides a clear and practical roadmap for the next five years.
“With ACON celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, our new Impact Strategy sets out how we will achieve tangible improvements in the lives of the people in our communities. It outlines where we will focus our efforts, how we will measure progress and the steps we will take to strengthen our impact across all our programs,” Woodhouse said.
“Over the next five years we will adapt our HIV responses to meet new challenges, grow our psychosocial health services, expand preventative health education that helps prevent illness, and foster stronger community connections. A key focus will also be advancing inclusion so that LGBTQ+ people can live free from stigma and discrimination in every part of their lives.”
Woodhouse added the Strategy is an essential tool for shaping ACON’s future work.
“This Strategy is about clarity and accountability. It gives us a shared framework that guides our decisions, ensures transparency, and helps us stay focused on delivering results that matter most to our communities. Having a plan of this depth and detail means we can remain agile and responsive, while keeping sight of our long-term goals,” Woodhouse said.
“Ensuring that strong collaborations are a central component of the Impact Strategy is key to delivering on these commitments. The Strategy is designed to ensure ACON remains responsive and sustainable, while deepening our partnerships and building on the collective strength of our communities. By tracking outcomes and scaling what works, we can direct resources to where they make the greatest difference. This will allow us to keep improving health, inclusion and connection in meaningful, measurable ways.”
The ACON Impact Strategy 2025–2030 was developed in consultation with communities, staff, partners, service providers and government agencies. It is designed to respond to the changing social and health needs of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV, and to build stronger, more connected communities.
For more information and to read the Impact Strategy 2025–2030, visit acon.org.au.
ENDS
For more information please contact: David Alexander, ACON Media and Communications
E: dalexander@acon.org.au T: +61 (02) 9206 2044 M: +61 (0)428 477 042