BSSC is a place where all community members are included and valued and harassment and discrimination have no place. The BSSC Ally network has been established to increase the inclusivity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) staff and students and to allow our community to better understand the experiences they have in their everyday lives.
Staff who have been trained as a BSSC Ally will:
- Be informed about and sensitive towards people of diverse sexualities, people with natural intersex variations and people with diverse gender identities
- Be a ‘safe’ person for LGBTI staff and students to speak to without prejudice and provide support where necessary
- Challenge any homophobic or transphobic language and behaviour in a way that will encourage change, including by individual example and personal awareness
- Create a culture that is inclusive of all people in our school community through their work at the college
- Value and celebrate LGBTI people and culture
- Publicly acknowledge that they have been trained as an Ally by placing a BSSC Ally sticker on their office door/laptop/diary and branding on their BSSC email signature
- Always maintain professionalism and clear boundaries in their interactions with students
Supports for students:
- QLife: LGBTI phone and online chat counselling services for Australia
https://qlife.org.au or call: 1800 184 527 - Minus18: for LGTBI information and resources
https://minus18.org.au - headspace: phone counselling, online chat and website services
http://www.headspace.org.au or call: 1800 650 890 - headspace Bendigo (including Diversity Group):
Visit 78/80 Pall Mall Bendigo or call: 54 345 345 - Kids Helpline: phone counselling, online chat and website services:
www.kidshelp.com.au or call: 1800 551 800 - Lifeline: phone counselling, online chat:
Call: 13 11 14 website www.lifeline.org.au