On this page
What is HEY?
Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) is about supporting the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young Victorians. The first of its kind in Australia, HEY brings together a network of partner organisations specialising in support and services for LGBTQIA+ young people.
HEY partners provide peer support, referral, community visibility, celebration and education. The vision of the HEY partners is that LGBTQIA+ young people in Victoria have their rights upheld, and are safe, empowered and celebrated.
Every year, Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic), in partnership with the Victorian Government, run the Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) Grants. Over 11 years, HEY Grants have supported over 123 organisations with more than $1.6 million of funding to improve LGBTQIA+ young people's mental health and well-being.
With years of lived experience, expertise, and evidence-based practice, the HEY Partners and Grants are supporting more LGBTIQA+ young people than ever. We are committed to supporting young people in their self-discovery and pride, to connecting them with each other and their community, and to improving their overall mental health and wellbeing.
HEY is proudly funded and supported by the Victorian Government.
HEY Day 2023
HEY Day brings together the LGBTIQA+ community sector and the youth sector around Victoria. The annual event is the formal announcement of the successful HEY Grant recipients, as well as an opportunity to discuss emerging issues for LGBTIQA+ young people and the collective sector supporting them.
When: Monday 20 March, 9:45 AM - 4 PM
Where: Victorian Pride Centre, 79/81 Fitzroy St, St Kilda
Cost: free for young people and YACVic Members; $25 for non-Member sector workers.
HEY Partners
The HEY Partners are organisations that provide a network of inclusive spaces and programs for LGBTQIA+ young people across Victoria.
Youth Affairs Council Victoria
Youth Affairs Council Victoria is the peak body and leading policy advocate on young people's issues in Victoria.
Zoe Bell Gender Collective
Provides online support, referrals, recommendations and resources for the greater trans and gender diverse community in Victoria.
WayOut Cobaw
Based at Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health, WayOut promotes the rights, mental health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ young people in the Macedon Ranges.
WayOut Wodonga
WayOut Wodonga promotes the rights, health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people in Albury Wodonga and surrounds.
Rainbow Network
Helping members provide safer, more inclusive services for young same sex-attracted, intersex, trans and gender diverse Victorians.
Safe Schools
Safe Schools is a formal and public commitment that schools make to create an inclusive and safe environment for their school community, including for LGBTQIA+ students, families and teachers.
Peninsula Pride
Peninsula Pride is queer–straight alliance community group led by headspace Frankston. Helping same sex attracted and gender diverse young people can feel safer and more included in society.
Rainbow Health Victoria
Rainbow Health Victoria is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ Victorians and the quality of care they receive.
Minus18
Australia's largest youth-led organisation for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans youth.
Gasp
The GASP project is Geelong’s safe and inclusive space for young people aged between 12-25.
Diversity Project
Aiming to create a safer, more inclusive and healthier community in the City of Greater Shepparton and beyond for young people who are LGBTQIA+.
Safe in the Southwest
The SAFE in the South West program is strengthening the capacity of South West Victorian community in supporting young people who identify same-sex attracted, sex and gender diverse.
Ballarat headspace
Ballarat headspace is now running Zaque – a safe space for LGBTIQ young people. Zaque is a group that aims to provide a safe and supportive space for LGBTIQA+ young people aged 12-25.
Headspace Bendigo Diversity
headspace Bendigo offers two diversity groups weekly for young people who identify as LGBTIQ+ and their friends and allies.
They provide a safe and inclusive space where young people can be themselves, meet others, have some fun and participate in community activities that celebrate diversity.
Parents of Gender Diverse Children (PGDC)
Parents of Gender Diverse Children works hard to give a voice to parents and those parenting transgender and gender diverse children.
Gippsland Lakes Community Health
Gippsland Lakes Complete Health (GLCH) is an inclusive service provider to all members of the community, and consults with LGBTIQA+ consumers to improve their responsiveness to the needs of the LGBTIQA+ population.
La Trobe Community Health Service
Latrobe Community Health Service work with the community to provide safe and inclusive services to clients who identify as LGBTIQA+, and provide a safe and inclusive work environment for staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.
HEY Grants
HEY Grants are an annual small grant round that is available for projects and initiatives aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young Victorians.
The categories are:
- Youth led projects: for LGBTIQA+ young people with innovative projects they know will support their LGBTIQA+ peers. A youth led application must be proposed and led by people who are under 25! (They can get people older than that to proofread and assist them).
- Social Connectedness projects: for services to expand or improve their support for LGBTIQA+ young people, and for targeted projects for LGBTIQA+ young people that will improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Round 12 HEY Grant applications are closed.
How do I apply for a HEY Grant?
Grant applicants need to fill out either a Youth Led or a Social Connectedness grant application form and provide two points of contact and two letters of support.
Applications closed on Tuesday 4 October at 11:59PM.
In 2020, HEY ran an online workshop to help first time grant applicants write a good HEY grant application. You can view it here to help with your application:
Who should apply for a HEY Grant?
Anybody whose organisation or project is designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ young people in Victoria is encouraged to apply. Applications by organisations or projects outside of Victoria will not be considered.
HEY actively encourages applications that are led by, and designed for:
- LGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people,
- LGBTIQA+ disabled young people, and LGBTIQA+ neurodiverse young people,
- LGBTIQA+ young people of colour, and LGBTIQA+ young people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- LGBTIQA+ community members who are underrepresented in services and programs, such as asexual and aromantic young people, or young people with intersex variations.
If you are a member of any of these communities and would like further information or assistance on applying for a HEY Grant, we would love to support you.
Enquiries
All enquiries should be directed to Youth Affairs Council Victoria by email to to Derm Ryan (he/him), YACVic Rural Manager dryan@yacvic.org.au or after 20 September, Briar Rolfe (they/them), Rainbow Projects Officer and Graphic Designer, at brolfe@yacvic.org.au. They work Monday to Wednesdays. Alternatively, you can contact hey@yacvic.org.au.
See our Round 11 Recipients
See our Previous Recipients
Round 11 Recipients
Round 11 of the HEY Grants will provide $101,502 to 13 incredible projects and organisations across the state. The grants were selected by a panel of LGBTIQA+ community members, and prioritised new applicants who will address intersections and gaps in LGBTIQA+ services.
Horsham Rural City Council (Youth Led) - $5,000
This project will activate a safe space for LGBTIQA+ young people to feel socially connected. The Station is a new Youth hub for Horsham young people and using this funding we will facilitate much needed safe social events for LGBTIQA+ young people.
Co-Inventors (Social Connectedness) - $10,000
“Voices of Us” is a 6 episode podcast that focuses on LGBTIQA+ international students lived experiences. The podcast aims at providing a space for LGBTIQA+ international students to express themselves, raise awareness about sexuality, cultural responsiveness, culturally specific issues and support among international students, service providers and the wider community.
The Gordon TAFE (Social Connectedness) - $5,000
Establish a PRIDE network at the Gordon for students, staff and the allies and organise an end of year formal for the broader LGBTIQA+ young people in the Barwon region.
GROW Australia (Youth Led) - $10,000
This project will deliver GET GROWING, a peer-led specialised early intervention mental health program for schools developed to meet the needs of LGBTIQA+ Asylum Seekers/Refugees youth in the South East who may be ‘at risk’ to prevent or minimise mental health issues before there is a decline or crisis.
T Spoons (Youth Led) - $9,426
Autistic transgender youth are invited to a two week peer led program of facilitated workshops and exploration through art responding to the theme ‘identity and belonging.’ Culminating in an exhibition for family and friends, T Spoons supports autistic transgender young people to build community and take pride in their identity.
Manningham Youth Services (Social Connectedness) - $10,000
MY Pride is a co-designed peer support group for young people between 12-18 who are Transgender, Non-Binary, Gender Diverse (TGD) and questioning their gender identity. With a focus on creating a sense of belonging, young people can safely explore topics related to gender identity through discussions, education, and social activities.
The Mental Health Coach (Social Connectedness) - $10,000
The Mental Health Coach will deliver cost-free MHFA training to 36 LGBTIQA+ young people across Victoria. Recipients will be empowered to identify emerging mental health issues in their peers (and in themselves), have conversations that encourage connection to professional support, and directly address suffering and the above-average incidence of suicide in LGBTIQA+ youth.
Headspace Wonthaggi & Relationships Australia (Youth Led) - $10,000
Together with the Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre (WUCAC), Headspace Wonthaggi & Relationships Australia will provide a series of events that will show our LGBTIQA+ youth (and their families/friends) that they are not alone and empower them to feel self-assured and secure within themselves. These events will be educational, informative, and entertaining.
Pascoe Vale Girls College (Social Connectedness) - $5,000
Keep Up and Speak Up aims to develop the skills, confidence and leadership capacity of the PVGC Stand Out group to be leaders in the creation and promotion of an inclusive school community for all (particularly queer young people) by working with other student groups at PVGC on student-led projects.
Rainbow Alliance Stawell (Youth Led) - $5,076
Rainbow Alliance is a peer support group for LGBTIQA+ and questioning young people aged 12-19 in Stawell and surrounds in the Northern Grampians Shire (regional and rural Victoria). The design and meetings are led by LGBTIQA+ youth. The group meets weekly in a safe space to connect and advocate.
Maroondah City Council (Social Connectedness) - $10,000
To deliver a fortnightly LGBTIQA+ social support group for 10-13 year olds in Maroondah. The group will be co-facilitated by a lived experience worker and an experienced youth worker. The group aims to increase connection and raise the wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ young people in the middle years.
John Fawkner College (Social Connectedness) - $5,000
Together we RISE will see 2 levels:
1) Establishment of a working group within the school that includes students, staff and external stakeholders. This will allow the members to develop strategies around culture, safety and policies.
2) student-led support group to run weekly/fortnightly.
Mount Alexander Shire Council (Youth Led) - $10,000
The Pride Dance Party and Queer Art project will include a youth-led event targeted to LGBTQIA+ young people in Central Victoria. This will be supported by leadership development, artistic development and access to transport.