Haven; Home, Safe – Rainbow Tick Accreditation
About Haven; Home, Safe
HHS is an independent charity and Australia’s only fully integrated affordable rental housing and homelessness support services provider employing more than 180 staff across offices in Bendigo, Preston, Geelong, and Mildura with outreach services in Frankston, Swan Hill, Robinvale, Echuca and Kyabram. As Australia’s first registered Housing Association, HHS owns or manage 1800+ affordable rental properties across 29 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Victoria with total assets over $350 million and an annual operating budget of $38 million
The Rainbow Tick is a national accreditation program for organisations that are committed to safe and inclusive practice, and service delivery for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people. Organisations wishing to receive a Rainbow Tick are required to undergo accreditation against the Rainbow Tick Standards, owned and developed by Rainbow Health Victoria (formerly GLHV). We are working with Haven to develop a scoping exercise and implementation plan on the accreditation program.
The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program supports organisations to understand and implement LGBTI safe and inclusive service delivery and provides national recognition for those that meet the Rainbow Tick Standards. The Rainbow Tick Accreditation Program is a voluntary program and aims to assist organisations to move from LGBTI-friendly to LGBTI-inclusive while reassuring LGBTI consumers and staff that an organisation is aware of, is responsive to and is understanding of their needs.
What are the Rainbow Tick Standards?
Rainbow Tick consists of six standards which organisations can be independently assessed and formally accredited against to demonstrate their commitment to LGBTI inclusive practice and service delivery. The Rainbow Tick Standards are currently in their second edition and are supported by the Rainbow Tick guide to LGBTI-inclusive practice.
Organisations can undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation as a stand-alone assessment subject to ongoing reassessment and quality review or as part of any additional accreditation cycles being undertaken with QIP or AGPAL.
To help consumers identify those organisations who have received their Rainbow Tick, QIP accredited organisations have the opportunity to be listed on a national register of Rainbow Tick accredited organisations.
Organisations that are Rainbow Tick accredited with QIP are committed to constantly improving the quality of care and/or service delivery provided to their local LGBTI community. They are letting their LGBTI consumers, staff and community know that they will receive inclusive services from the moment they step through the door.
The six Rainbow Tick Standards are:
- Organisational capability
- Workforce development
- Consumer participation
- A welcoming and accessible organisation
- Disclosure and documentation, and
- Culturally safe and acceptable services. Why achieve Rainbow Tick accreditation?
LGBTI people have the same right to access services as anyone else within the Australian community. However, not all service providers understand or respond well to the needs of the LGBTI community. For some LGBTI people, the experience of exclusion and discrimination can contribute directly to poorer health and well-being, particularly mental health.
The Australian Human Rights Commission states that ‘respect for human rights is the cornerstone of strong communities in which everyone can make a contribution and feel included.’
Research in Australia and globally demonstrates that LGBTI people have poorer health outcomes than the general population because of the discrimination that they experience. In terms of mental health in particular, LGBTI people experience markedly higher levels of depression, anxiety, emotional distress and for some, self-harming and attempts of suicide.
The actual or perceived discrimination by services also means LGBTI people are more likely to avoid or delay seeking care. Consequently, LGBTI health consumers want to know that they can access services where their sexual orientation or gender identity and/or intersex status will be valued and where service providers understand their needs.
Becoming Rainbow Tick accredited with QIP supports organisations to reassure members of the LGBTI community that they will be welcomed and provided with LGBTI-inclusive care and support in a safe and quality-focused environment.
Rainbow Tick provides a benchmark for LGBTI inclusive practice throughout Australia.
The above has been taken directly from; https://www.qip.com.au/standards/rainbow-tick-standards
For more information on The Rainbow Tick Accredition – please contact us.