Might 17 marks the Worldwide Day in opposition to Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). In honour of the 2024 IDAHOBIT theme, “Nobody left behind: equality, freedom and justice for all”, we’re spotlighting the MindMapBC mission. MindMapBC is a service finder that helps folks find 2S/LGBTQ+ affirming psychological well being helps in British Columbia.
For the previous few years, MindMapBC has been led by the REAFFIRM Collaborative, a analysis group dedicated to selling 2S/LGBTQ+ well being fairness. Nevertheless, the group has at all times envisioned the web site’s long-term future to be within the fingers of a community-based group. This summer time marks the belief of this imaginative and prescient because the mission shifts fingers from REAFFIRM to QMUNITY, BC’s queer, trans and Two-Spirit useful resource heart.
CGSHE interviewed REAFFIRM and QMUNITY in regards to the collaborative work put into the mission and its transition. The groups shared how they plan to maneuver ahead with sustaining the imaginative and prescient and increasing the scope of MindMapBC.
Inform us extra in regards to the MindMapBC mission.
MindMapBC helps folks find 2S/LGBTQ+ affirming psychological well being helps, assets and associated articles. The mission was co-developed with our companions, Health Initiative for Men and the Community-Based Research Centre. For the reason that web site’s launch, now we have continued to work carefully with community-based organizations, advocacy teams, psychological well being suppliers, and 2S/LGBTQ+ group members to refine and develop the location.
QMUNITY, inform us extra about your group.
QMUNITY supplies help and connection by means of a wide range of providers corresponding to our youth and seniors applications, counselling, and our community of peer teams. Our workplace is in Vancouver, however we work throughout the province with digital providers and we’ve just lately expanded our seniors program into the inside.
REAFFIRM, when did the partnership start? What does it appear like for a group group and analysis group to work collectively?
For the reason that starting, QMUNITY has been vital to the success of MindMapBC. Members of their group have offered help and path as now we have expanded the web site and promoted it throughout BC. They’ve helped information our strategy and be certain that MindMapBC continues to align with group wants and priorities.
What prompted the concept for MindMapBC to be transferred from REAFFIRM to QMUNITY?
REAFFIRM: Though we, on the REAFFIRM Collaborative, have maintained the location in recent times, now we have carried out so with quite a lot of help from group companions. As a psychological well being useful resource for 2S/LGBTQ+ communities throughout BC, we wished the location’s long-term future to be within the fingers of a community-based group.
QMUNITY’s ongoing management and organizing with queer, trans, and Two-Spirit folks throughout BC make them an ideal accomplice to not solely keep on this work, but additionally to develop the mission in new methods.
– REAFFIRM group
QMUNITY: We have now actually valued the partnership with REAFFIRM and the entire group companions who helped construct MindMapBC. It was a pure match for MindMapBC to maneuver to QMUNITY to proceed being a useful resource for queer folks throughout the province, as we’re regularly increasing our service choices and our group constructing throughout BC.
QMUNITY, what are your hopes for the way forward for MindMapBC?
REAFFIRM and their group companions did such a implausible job of constructing out the construction of MindMapBC, in order that assets listed on it are trusted by means of varied anti-oppressive metrics. QMUNITY is dedicated to upholding this follow, in order that MindMapBC generally is a trusted useful resource nicely into the long run.
Not one of the assets listed have simply put a rainbow sticker up and referred to as it a day; they’re all requested about how they deliberately work with a number of marginalized queer folks earlier than being listed.
– QMUNITY group
One of the best factor about MindMapBC is that it’s constructed by and for queer communities throughout BC. Our hope is that MindMapBC shall be a celebration of grassroots queer communities throughout the province, and can characterize the queer group’s dedication to taking good care of one another by means of trusted referrals.
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Have you ever heard about QMUNITY’s Summer season of Love mission? As a part of the mission, QMUNITY shall be attending 21 delight celebrations throughout the province over the subsequent few months. With every cease, they are going to be internet hosting engagement classes with native delight organizers to seek out out what providers can be found of their group, including to the array of current useful resource on MindMapBC. Take a look at their web site to learn more!
