Advance Diversity Services (ADS) is partnering with the University of Wollongong (UOW) to enhance the ability of the settlement and community services sectors to serve the needs of CALD LGBTIQA+ communities.
The joint research project, funded by UOW’s Community Engagement Grants Scheme, aims to understand gaps in the knowledge and skills of diversity service workers when servicing culturally diverse LGBTIQ+ communities in the context of COVID-19.
‘This is a wonderful opportunity to pilot a collaborative approach to understanding the level of LGBTIQA+ acceptance, knowledge and skills of ADS’s service workers,’ said Anthony Scerri, ADS’s Manager for Settlement and Community Services.
‘Once we identify gaps, we can effectively target staff training. Our ultimate aim is to ensure people from CALD LGBTIQ+ communities receive the services they need and feel welcome and included.’
Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, is leading the research project. Dr Qua is a Singaporean-Chinese queer migrant woman academic whose work draws from decolonial, transnational and intersectional feminist perspectives and centres round community-based research, inequalities and social justice.
She said she was happy to be collaborating with ADS on the project to bring better outcomes for CALD LGBTIQA+ people.
Three innovative projects were chosen for UOW’s 2020 Community Engagement Grants Scheme launched at a virtual celebration on October 22.
Monique Harper-Richardson, Director of Advancement, UOW, and President of the UOW’s USA Foundation, said the quality of this year’s applications for grants was ‘at the highest level’ and all projects funded focused on resilience and recovery for communities affected by COVID-19.
‘These are extraordinary projects and I’m incredibly excited. I also extend my sincere congratulations to the three recipients.’
Special guest at the celebration Dr Belinda Kathlyn Gibbons, Senior Lecturer Faculty of Business, Sydney Business School, UOW, said the grants would help to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals ‘to care for all things and to leave no one behind’.
Mr Scerri said the pandemic had been hard on many in the community and especially marginalised people from diverse backgrounds.
‘This research will help to ensure LGBTIQA+ people from CALD backgrounds receive the best and most appropriate service possible.’
Caption 1: Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Wollongong (UOW) at the virtual launch of a new UOW-ADS research project.
5 Takeaways from The Sculpt Society IRL Tour
Megan Roup, celebrity trainer and creator of The Sculpt Society launched an in-person four-city tour across the US this fall and we were thrilled to be a part of The Sculpt Society IRL Tour’s SOLD OUT stop in New York City!
The immersive experience included her unparalleled fitness method, special guests, meet + greets, "fireside chats,” retail opportunities, on-site beauty, health and wellness activations, as well as an incredible swag bag for participants to take home, including Jollie’s Nuts and Bolts and Palm print Plush Mats. Our mats were used throughout the killer workout and seeing our product in action was truly an incredible experience. Thank you, Megan -- it was such an honor to have our product alongside your passionate team and witness your workout in person!
Here are our 5 takeaways after experiencing and participating in TSS IRL:
NYC is still NYC!
It’s been a while since we’ve been to New York City and it was so much fun to enjoy the vibrance and beautiful weather. Although some things have changed post-COVID (the crowds are not as large and a lot of stores are closed), you can feel the spirit is still there and people are coming back.
It was so fun to see Hudson yards and the Vessel in person. The Vessel is an interactive artwork imagined by Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs -- almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings. This sculpture provided the most breathtaking backdrop for the live event. It is such a fun new development with lots of shops and fun restaurants and a straight view of the Hudson River.
The Sculpt Society’s at-home sculpting workout programs are amazing to take and watch! No wonder why they are the #1 Sculpt & Dance Cardio Workout! They are great for anyone with busy schedules, and we love that her classes can be as short as 15 minutes to fit a bit of mindful movement into a busy day!
The energy was so positive and exciting! We were really inspired by the community of people from the TSS team, other vendors and participants, and walked away feeling so full of energy!
We were humbled by the number of people that told us how much they loved their Plush Mats! Of course *we* know they are great, but to see people use it and then immediately fall in love is exciting! THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to say hello & give us such warm feedback.
Thank you again to Megan (and her entire team) and all of the inspiring attendees who made this day so incredible.