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ACON IMPACT REPORT

2024-2025

In 2024-2025, we continued to fulfil our purpose to create opportunities for people in our communities to live healthier, more connected lives

A message from our President and CEO

For four decades, ACON has championed the health and wellbeing of our communities, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are represented.

Founded in 1985 by gay men responding to the HIV crisis with courage, care and advocacy, ACON has grown into a leading health organisation with community at the heart of what we do.

Today, we support all people living with HIV and those of diverse sexualities and genders through trusted services, impactful campaigns, and strong community connections.

Employers and organisations seek our guidance to become more inclusive, and governments rely on our expertise to deliver meaningful outcomes for our communities.

This year, the launch of ACON’s Impact Strategy 2025–2030 marks the next chapter in our journey. It sets out our ambition to build healthier, more connected communities by:

• Measuring and amplifying our impact

• Scaling programs that work

• Enhancing quality across everything we do

To achieve this, we’ll invest in our people, strengthen our systems, and secure sustainable resources. We’ll broaden access to prevention tools, testing, and screening services. We’ll continue to be a trusted advisor to the corporate sector in inclusive practice.

To support this work, we’re growing our workforce, upgrading our technology and infrastructure, and increasing our financial capacity including through fundraising. We’ll strengthen our quality frameworks, harness data more effectively, and deepen partnerships with communities and allies.

Together, all these efforts help position ACON as a national leader and expand our global influence in health, inclusion, and HIV response.

In this Impact Report, you’ll see how we’re driving lasting change and building a future where LGBTQ+ people and those living with HIV are supported to live healthy, connected lives.

None of this is possible without the shared commitment of our supporters, staff, volunteers, funders, partners, and the communities we serve. We thank you all for your support of ACON.

Adjunct Professor Justin Koonin (ACON President) and Michael Woodhouse (ACON CEO)

Our Impact Strategy 2025-2030

Our Impact Strategy 2025-2030 sets out our vision and priorities for the next stage of our work improving the health and wellbeing of sexuality and gender diverse people and people living with HIV in NSW.  

OUR IMPACT PRIORITIES

In 2024-2025, we continued our work in five key priorities as set out in our Impact Strategy: 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.

 

Advances in HIV treatments and biomedical prevention options mean it is now possible to virtually eliminate HIV transmission in Australia and for all people living with HIV to have a good quality of life.

80% of men who are having casual sex with men use at least one effective form of prevention – including PrEP, condoms, or maintaining an undetectable viral load.

We know that there are groups of gay and bi men who are not getting the benefits of prevention at the same rates, particularly men born overseas who choose to live, work or study in NSW.

 

 

Our communities continue to achieve high rates of testing. According to the 2025 Sydney GBQ+ Community Periodic Survey, the proportion of non-HIV-positive participants who reported testing for HIV in the previous 12 months increased from 56% in 2021 to 70% in 2025.

Almost all people living with HIV in NSW are using antiretroviral treatment and have undetectable viral loads. While progress continues, people living with HIV continue to report unacceptable levels of stigma.

ACON is committed to its ongoing leadership role in the HIV response. We continue to operate important programs to eliminate HIV transmission with a strong focus on younger gay and bi men and men born outside of Australia.

This includes:

• Ending HIV campaign initiatives targeted across NSW
• Emen8, ACON’s national digital sexual health resource produced in partnership with Thorne Harbour Health
• Reaching 2,500+ people through workshops, forums and education sessions
• Distribution of thousands of safe sex packs at LGBTQ+ venues and events

Community testing services make it much easier for people to know their status and get access to treatment or PrEP. In the past financial year, 21% of people who came to us for testing were from outside inner city Sydney, and 67% were born overseas.

Our policy team advocated for privacy protections in single digital patient records, the review of mandatory disease testing, and strategies to reduce stigma.

We also continune our efforts to address stigma and discrimination through counselling and support to those living with or at risk of HIV, especially among priority populations.

Also in 2024, ACON’s Community Support Network marked four decades sustaining the quality of life and independence of people living with HIV in New South Wales through home-based care.

SPOTLIGHT ON: ENDING HIV

Launched in 2013, Ending HIV is ACON’s community education initiative that aims to educate gay, bisexual and other MSM on what they can do to help prevent new HIV transmission in NSW.

ENDING HIV 2025 CAMPAIGN: THEN & NOW


In 2025, ACON delivered a bold Ending HIV campaign honouring four decades of HIV prevention and community resilience.

The campaign highlighted the facts about how HIV is transmitted and how to protect yourself, breaking down stigma and empowering action.

The results were:
 
  • 93% described the campaign as effective
  • 87% described the campaign as engaging
  • 40% took immediate action such as learning more, testing, or speaking with a healthcare professional
 

ENDING HIV KEY MESSAGES


KNOWLEDGE IS ENDING HIV TRANSMISSION: Know the facts about HIV. How it’s transmitted and how to protect yourself

WEARING CONDOMS IS ENDING HIV TRANSMISSION: Condoms are FREE and accessible. They prevent HIV and STIs.

PrEP IS ENDING HIV TRANSMISSION: Find out more about the pill that prevents HIV.

TESTING IS ENDING HIV TRANSMISSION: Test often for HIV and STIs. It’s FREE, quick and confidential.

TREATING HIV IS ENDING HIV TRANSMISSION: Treatment is FREE in NSW, regardless of Medicare status.

Find out more by visiting EndingHIV.org.au.

Due to discrimination and exclusion, our communities experience higher rates of mental health issues, harmful drug use, suicide risk and experiences of violence.

Research shows that over half (57%) of LGBTQ+ adults reported high or very high levels of psychological distress. Nearly two thirds (73%) reported having ever been diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their lives.

People are looking for services which show a deep understanding of LGBTQ+ experience. Importantly, this includes trans and gender people looking for assistance from peers to affirm their gender.

Across all our peer and client services, we have more demand than we have been able to service.

Therefore, ACON has been growing our work in peer and client services in response to requests from communities.

Our model is based on our deep understanding of LGBTQ+ communities and lived experiences. Our teams include peer workers able to walk alongside members of the community, complementing the work of counsellors and social workers.

We provide counselling support on issues including recent HIV diagnosis, substance use, domestic and family violence case work, suicide prevention, trans counselling and peer support. Our services are available from our
offices or online.

Some of our peer and client services include:

• Care Coordination Service supporting community members with multiple or complex needs.

• Suicide Aftercare support for those experiencing a suicidal crisis or needing assistance following a suicide attempt.

• Specialist sexual, domestic and family violence counselling and care coordination support.

• Trans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service to support the mental health of trans community members.

• Substance Support counselling to assist community members with their use of alcohol and/or other drugs.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Trans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service


ACON’s Trans Mental Health Service aims to improve the mental health, wellbeing and quality of life of trans people and people questioning their gender, through the delivery of affirming care coordination, counselling, peer navigation and peer support. All peer workers delivering this essential service are also trans.

This year, the Trans Mental Health & Wellbeing team delivered over 2,230 occasions of service to 238 clients.

 

COMMUNITY STORY: LINC, HUNTER REGION

“I was a social worker and had a really awesome private practice. Then I became disabled and life went out the window.

“Once I got the diagnosis, I thought ‘I am not living for other people anymore’. That’s when I ‘came out’. I was 43 and decided I had to actually live life the way I need to live it.

“Since I came out as trans, it’s the first time in my life that I haven’t been suicidal.

“I was in a really bad way. I went through five counsellors, and do you know what? Straight identifying people don’t get what I’m struggling with.

“So I went to ACON and was assigned [ACON counsellor] Lou, who kind of saved my life, if I’m honest. She’s someone who ‘gets’ the queer experience.

“We had a number of sessions, with her just listening to what I was struggling with, and unpacking things. It kind of gave me the ability to expand my life. I felt like I could breathe. Every time … it just became a little bit brighter, a little bit lighter.

“I will never have the words to thank Lou for the support she’s given me over the years.”

 

Many of the health disparities faced by our communities are preventable.

Despite advances in healthcare, many people still face barriers to maintaining good health due to a lack of awareness or access to early prevention methods.

For example, research shows that one third (34%) of LGBTQ+ women had not disclosed their sexuality or gender identity to their GP when accessing the health care they need.

ACON is responding by providing health information that is relevant to LGBTQ+ communities, including:

• Word on the Sheets, the online health portal for LGBTQ+ women

• TransHub, the national digital platform for trans and gender diverse people

• Say It Out Loud, the online platform on LGBTQ+ sexual, domestic and family violence

• HERE.org.au, the digital LGBTQ+ suicide prevention information, support and resource hub

• The harm reduction hub Between the Lines, and M3thod peer program for people who practice sexualised drug use;

• the Can We platform, designed to inform people about how to stay healthy and reduce risk of cancer.

We are also working to improve access to testing, screening and primary health care, with pop‑up HIV testing at pride events across NSW, and cancer screening at pride festivals across the country.

We also played an active role in the NSW Drug Summit, and our peer-led harm reduction Rovers program helped patrons stay safe at events.

KALEIDO HEALTH CENTRE


An ACON study in 2023 showed that 64% of survey respondents reported that they did not see a GP when they needed to. Reasons include not being confident a GP would understand their life and health needs (33%), fear of judgement (32%), poor past experience (28%) and lack of trust (27%).

Opened by ACON in March 2025, on Gadigal land in Sydney’s South Eveleigh precinct, the Kaleido Health Centre delivers inclusive, multi-disciplinary, integrated health care for LGBTQ+ people and their families in NSW across the state.

Almost 1,500 people attended Kaleido Health Centre in the first seven months of operation.

With Kaleido Health, we have applied our understanding of our communities and of our health system to build a new service that’s now making a big difference in NSW. The health centre brings together GPs and mental health staff in an integrated model.

We know that integrated care – specialists working alongside GPs and with links to the broader health system – delivered in a community setting is something our communities need. We also know we must add capacity to the system – not compete with those already doing great work.

We thank our partners in the NSW Health system, especially Sydney Local Health District, who have been crucial to the development of this service, as well as our other partners Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network and St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney.

Visit the Kaleido Health Centre’s website to find out more and book an appointment.

SPOTLIGHT ON: ‘Own It’ Cervical Screening Campaign

More than 70% of cervical cancers in Australia occur in people who are not up to date with their cervical screening.

In 2023, ACON launched the “Own It” cervical screening campaign in NSW, promoting self ‑collection among young people aged 25–35. Developed in partnership with the Cancer Institute NSW, the campaign increased motivation to screen and laid the foundation for national expansion.

In 2024, ACON was engaged by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to led the national scale-up of “Own It” as part of a consortium with NACCHO, the Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative, and the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer. ACON led creative development, media implementation, and LGBTQ+ community engagement. The campaign generated over 881,000 website sessions and achieved 3.2 million complete social video views, 16 million YouTube views, and more than 12 million out-of-home impressions. TV, audio, and contextual placements extended reach to priority populations in regional, remote, and clinical settings.

By August 2025, 37% of target audiences were aware of the campaign, rising to 44% among LGBTQ+ audiences, exceeding the performance target of 30%. Awareness of self-collection increased from 44% to 64%, and to 71% among those who recognised the campaign. Learn more about the OWN IT campaign on the Can We website here.

ACON also delivered four pop-up clinics in NSW, VIC, and NT, screening over 100 people – more than half of whom were overdue or never screened – demonstrating tangible impact in improving screening uptake.

 

Social connection is a bedrock for good health. Community building programs have been part of what ACON does since we began. When people are connected, they feel supported, resilient and able to live fuller, healthier lives.

People with few social relationships or poor-quality social interactions are more likely to experience negative health outcomes than those with meaningful social relationships, regardless of their age. Increased social connection is linked to better life satisfaction, health and wellbeing.

Our best work occurs when we support initiatives that have come from local communities – supporting communities to support themselves.

Our work builds meaningful connections across NSW for everyone, with particular emphasis on LGBTQSB+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, carers, rural and regional centres, young people, trans and gender diverse people and people from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds.

In 2024-25 we supported community building through programs including:

• Partnership with local pride organisation across NSW, particularly regional areas

• Facilitating the First Nations float for the Mardi Gras Parade

• The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme to combat loneliness and social isolation

• Hosting the Honour Awards to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements within NSW’s LGBTQ+ communities.

• Trans Vitality workshops to build resilience and connections for trans adults

• The LOVE (Living Older Visibly Engaged) Project creating connections for older people.

• Partnering with cultural and faith groups

• Partnering with the West Ball, an annual ballroom event that brings together and celebrates queer communities in Western Sydney.

SPOTLIGHT ON: ACON’s First Nations Health Programs

Supporting the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remains a key focus of ACON’s work.

ACON’s First Nations Health Programs deliver culturally safe programs, resources and campaigns that create opportunities for connection.

Some of this work includes:

  • The Healthy Relationships Workshops, which were developed along cultural lines and responds to community feedback and needs
  • Community engagement activities at local, regional and state-wide events, such as the Yabun Festival and Koori Knockout, NAIDOC Week, National Reconciliation Week, the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade through the First Nations Float.
  • Creating spaces for LGBTQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gather during other LGBTQ events and festivals.

This work ensures ACON’s health promotion efforts are guided by cultural knowledge, community voices and the lived experiences of LGBTQSB+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The importance of visibility in regional NSW

The Rainbow on the Plains festival in Hay, in the Riverina region of south-western NSW, began in 2018 by locals in the community to celebrate rural and remote LGBTQ+ communities.

The variety of events emphasise inclusion, celebration, education, awareness and reflection.

ACON has worked alongside the festival since its beginnings, providing funding along with organisational and marketing support. Through this
partnership we increase access to HIV testing and prevention and promote our counselling and care coordination services. We have facilitated workshops, staffed stalls and marched in the annual parade.

“A lot of the queer people around the region love coming to our festival – and also a lot of others just want to show their support,” says festival organiser Will Miller.

“We’ve got quite a young community – they’re obviously learning about themselves, their sexualities, and exploring things. So having that visibility there for them so they can ask the questions they need to ask in a safe place is really good.”

Rainbow on the Plains is making Hay a more inclusive welcoming community for everyone.

“I don’t think we would’ve got anywhere if we didn’t have ACON come on in the first year and lifted the festival,” adds Will. “They gave us the exposure, and gave us an understanding of what the festival can be. ACON have been solid and consistent from day one.”

People from our communities want to be fully included in workplaces, sporting and social groups, and when we receive services.

Many people aren’t comfortable disclosing who they are in all parts of their life. LGBTQ+ people also continue to experience high rates of abuse online and are targets for hate crimes.

ACON works with employers, government and community stakeholders to effect positive change through evidence-based programs, strategic partnerships, education and advocacy.

We are committed to creating a safer and more inclusive community for the LGBTQ+ people. We do this by:

• Helping employers develop strategies to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees through better practices. The annual Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) and Employee Survey reached 35,000 respondents in 2025, which is one of the largest such surveys globally.

• Advising sporting codes on practical steps they can take to make it safer for LGBTQ+ people to participate in sport. In 2025, the inaugural Pride in Sport Festival brought together over 3,000 participants from over 40 sporting organisations.

• Working with NSW Police to improve responses to hate and implement the recommendations of the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTQ Hate Crimes.

• Promoting safety advice to community on use of dating apps following a spate of violent assaults targeting gay men on the apps.

• Providing LGBTQ+ inclusion support to health and community care organisations to provide safe, respectful, high quality and inclusive services, driving towards equitable health and wellbeing for LGBTQ+ people across Australia.

• Developing submissions, policy papers and position statements. In the past year, this included papers on HIV Decriminalisation, NSW HIV Strategy 2026-2030, NSW Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, NSW Drug Summit, and the Inquiry into Loneliness in NSW.

Also in 2025, Pride in Diversity released LGBTQASB+ Mob & Work, a groundbreaking report compiling research into First Nations workplace inclusion through an intersectional lens. We also launched a national forum bringing together organisational leaders and inclusion practitioners to discuss experiences and explore strategies addressing the negative discourse on diversity, equity, and inclusion.


PRIDE IN DIVERSITY: 15 years of building better workplaces

For 15 years, Pride in Diversity has been partnering with employers across Australia to improve equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people at work.

Our approach is to work with employers to address the issues of highest importance to them and their staff.

The Australian Workplace Equality Index allows organisations to measure their progress, and our staff provide practical tools to help organisations along their way.

That includes:

  • eLearning answering questions on gender and sexuality
  • Gender affirmation policies
  • Training on LGBTQ+ inclusive customer service

Today, 9 out of 10 of Australia’s largest employers are members of Pride in Diversity. Members employ or contract 25% of the Australian workforce, or over three million employees. Members include Westpac, Salesforce, KPMG Australia, SBS and Dexus.

Each year we recognise organisations for their progress and achievement. In 2025, 98 members achieved AWEI Bronze status, 40 achieved Silver status, 58 achieved or maintained Gold status and 26 members achieved Platinum status, having maintained their Gold AWEI status for four out of the last five years. Employers who achieve Pride in Diversity recognition also have higher levels of productivity and staff engagement.

OUR ENABLERS

Our impact is supported by a skilled and engaged workforce, prudent financial management, efficient systems and process, and strong partnerships and community connections.

 

Our work is underpinned by a workforce of almost 200 staff and hundreds of volunteers who enact ACON’s values of community, collaboration, compassion, courage and equity.

The 2025 employee engagement survey showed staff were highly engaged with the organisation, its mission and values with ACON scoring 84% on engagement, 78% on progress and 71% on wellbeing. Additionally, staff rated ACON highly on values (90%), vision (90%) and health and safety (89%).

Diverse experiences and backgrounds are vital to the strength of our organisation. The survey showed a diverse workforce with 23% identifying as culturally and linguistically diverse.

We are also proud that a majority of staff have lived or living experiences in many areas of our work such as HIV and mental health.

 

Our work in supporting our people this year includes:

  • Building leadership capability and enabling career development with a new performance development and planning process
  • A new digital management system to better unite volunteers with opportunities across various ACON departments, events and projects
  • Development of a new framework to support diversity, inclusion and belonging
  • Implementation of Proud and Ready, a paid, structured internship designed to provide real-world experience, mentorship, and industry connections, building confidence and job readiness in the health and community sector
  • Big Days In, our annual staff development conference that explored our Impact Strategy, allowed staff to share knowledge and build new connections and facilitate collaborations
  • Ongoing opportunities for learning and development including the provision of scholarship opportunities for further education and training
  • Progress in building meaningful partnerships and fostering more culturally safe practices through the Reconciliation Action Plan, resulting in improvements in policies, culture, community engagement, workforce development, and data, research and procurement practices.

ACON’s Proud and Ready Program: Mikayla’s story

I have been part of ACON’s Proud and Ready Internship program, working in the First Nations Health Programs team.

In my short time here, I have learnt more about myself and my community than I could ever put into words.

I have learnt what it means to work in an all Blak team of staunch women, who are so dedicated and passionate about community care,
love, respect and dignity, and lead by example with that in everything they do, both at work, and in community.

This has been such an honouring experience that I will forever hold and cherish for the rest of my life.

Mikayla Kumar
Wiradjuri Lesbian

Efficient, responsive and effective systems and processes are key to achieving our goals.

We continue to improve our systems so that our work is sustainable and fit for purpose.

This financial year we:

  • Signed on to a new human resource information system, which will significantly enhance and streamline our HR, payroll and leave management processes
  • Investigated efficiencies in financial process including the implementation of automated invoicing
  • Greater utilisation of Microsoft 365 business tools and teams solutions, including Teams calling and Power BI data visualisation
  • Internally assessed our cyber security risks, in accordance with ACSC’s Essential Eight risk mitigation strategies.

Meaningful relationships with our communities and partners is central to driving our success.

In 2024-25, we continued to strengthen our partnerships to ensure we were meeting the needs of our communities.

  • We engaged our communities at Sydney Mardi Gras including at Fair Day, Parade and Party
  • We brought together communities in Greater Western Sydney at the annual Parramatta Pride Picnic
  • We supported a range of regional LGBTQ festivals and events including Coastal Twist, Newcastle Pride, Tamworth Pride and Broken Heel Festival
  • We continue to work with clinical and research partners to support the health of our communities.

ACON is growing steadily to meet more needs of our communities. We seek to ensure our programs and services have clear strategic rationale and are financially sustainable.

In 2024-25 we reported an operating surplus of $98k – better than what was budgeted for. There was a reportable deficit of $132k after depreciation.

INCOME

In 2024-25, revenue grew by 28% as a result of new grants in areas such as suicide prevention, domestic violence, cancer prevention, and LGBTQ health and wellbeing.

We acknowledge the support of governments for their investment in our services and programs, which comprised 78.2% of operating income. Inclusion programs generated 14% of income through fee-for-service memberships and sponsorships.

EXPENDITURE

Expenses grew in line with revenue. This year’s underlying expenditure was $35.9 million, of which 57% was incurred by salaries, reflecting ACON’s role as a human services organisation. 25% of expenditure was spent on programs and publicity, highlighting ACON’s work in delivering social marketing and health promotion campaigns across Australia.

ACON continues to implement effective budget management practices, ensuring cost control and regular review of income targets.

OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS

We acknowledge NSW Health as our major funder, and their continued leadership in ensuring the health and safety of our communities.

We are humbled by the generosity of our supporters. In 2024-25, fundraising income was $591k, which includes several bequests. We thank all those who donate our organisation directly or through fundraising initiatives.

Expanding our fundraising initiatives continues to be a priority for ACON. During 2024/25 we have undertaken a review of our fundraising work, with new endeavours to be implemented in the coming year.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

ACON’s liquidity remains robust with healthy cash flow supporting operational needs. Strategic cash investment management has yielded a 40% increase in interest income, rising to $490K compared to the previous year.

Detailed results are in the Annual Financial Report 2024-2025, available to download as a PDF here.

Thank you for your support in 2024-2025!

DOWNLOAD THE IMPACT REPORT 2024-2025 PDF