LGBTQIA+ culturally competent allyship training for caring professionals in regional Australia: Evaluating the ‘Safe Connections’ workshops

LGBTQIA+ culturally competent allyship training for caring professionals in regional Australia: Evaluating the ‘Safe Connections’ workshops

LGBTQIA+ persons face higher suicide risk, health challenges, and disproportionate discrimination, marginalisation, and violence, particularly in regional, rural, and remote (RRR) areas. Healthcare professionals and educators (herein caring professionals) are key support contacts for LGBTQIA+ individuals, with best practice indicating inclusive, affirming, and supportive care. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of three LGBTQIA+ awareness raising workshops with caring professionals in the Australian regional setting of Toowoomba. Using a cultural competence framework, 98 caring professionals pre- and post-training knowledge, attitudes, and some practice responses were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-ranked test. Remaining post-training individual and organisational practice and allyship behaviour responses were analysed and reported separately. Participants (aged 23-74, M = 46.08, SD = 12.67) predominantly identified as hetero (82.6%)-cisgendered (80.6%) women. Results indicated the training significantly increased knowledge and individual practices related to LGBTQIA+ health, discrimination, marginalisation and violence. Most participants held affirming attitudes and perceived themselves and their organisations as allies. This suggests these caring professionals practice culturally competent allyship; a term that understands and appreciates how one’s own personal experiences influences their behaviour, including advocating for key priority groups. Research implications include bespoke cultural competence training for caring professionals in RRR areas and support for emerging. Future research could focus on the relationship between the likelihood, and demonstration of allyship through a new model of LGBTQIA+ care that incorporates cultural competency, humility, and safety with allyship. The LGBTQIA+ awareness raising workshops effectively increased awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues, helping to address stigma, discrimination, and violence while promoting health and wellbeing.