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About the Rainbow Ready roadmap

The Rainbow Ready roadmap is a set of resources for Victorian rural and regional communities to build lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) inclusion. The roadmap supports the Victorian Government’s Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ strategy 2022-32 by enabling the creation of safe, strong and sustainable communities.

Developed through extensive consultation with LGBTIQ+ communities, including through the LGBTIQ+ Rural and Regional RoadshowExternal Link , the roadmap aims to address challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ people in rural and regional Victoria.

When compared to the broader population, LGBTIQ+ people living in rural and regional Victoria:

  • experience higher rates of family violence
  • are more likely to have a diagnosis of anxiety or depression
  • are more likely to rate their health status as fair or poor1.

Through tailored guides and practical tools, the roadmap empowers LGBTIQ+ rural and regional communities to drive local change, celebrate and support LGBTIQ+ people.

As a final step, the roadmap supports communities in obtaining Rainbow Ready status: a public display that a setting is welcoming, safe and inclusive of LGBTIQ+ people.

How to use the Rainbow Ready roadmap

  1. Read the Rainbow Ready roadmap user guideExternal Link and select your chosen setting guide
  2. Assess the current state of your setting using your chosen setting guide and the assessment and evaluation toolExternal Link
  3. Plan your Rainbow Ready activities using the action plan toolExternal Link
  4. Deliver your Rainbow Ready activities
  5. Evaluate your Rainbow Ready activities using the assessment and evaluation toolExternal Link
  6. Demonstrate Rainbow Ready status using the Rainbow Ready status checklist toolExternal Link

Rainbow Ready roadmap User Guide

About the Rainbow Ready roadmap and how to use the resources.

Setting guides

Five tailored setting guides support users of the Rainbow Ready roadmap in understanding what needs to be done to support LGBTIQ+ inclusion in their unique operating context. Select the guide that best matches your setting.

Tools

Three practical tools support users of the Rainbow Ready roadmap in assessing their progress towards LGBTIQ+ inclusion, planning inclusive activities and demonstrating Rainbow Ready status.

Assessment and evaluation tool

A tool to assess where your community, town, region, service or group is at with LGBTIQ+ inclusion, and to identify areas for improvement. This tool is also used at the end of a Rainbow Ready project, to measure progress, highlight achievements and areas for further improvement.

Action plan tool

A template for planning your Rainbow Ready Roadmap project, and to identify actions, people involved, and desired outcomes.

Rainbow Ready status checklist

A checklist to demonstrate Rainbow Ready status at the end of completing Rainbow Ready roadmap projects and meeting all applicable indicators under your setting guide.

Where to next?

Finished a Rainbow Ready project and have a good news story to share? We want to hear how you’re driving LGBTIQ+ inclusion in your local community. To share your story, simply email the Equality Unit.

Larger organisations and services that achieve Rainbow Ready status are also encouraged to consider Rainbow Tick accreditation, where appropriate. Rainbow Tick is a national accreditation program for health and human service organisations, and other large service providers, to show that they are safe, inclusive and affirming of LGBTIQ+ people.

Find out more about the Rainbow TickExternal Link .

Rainbow colours symbolising the LGBTIQ+ community

Reviewed 12 August 2022

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