Rainbow Beginnings

Tammy Clinch of Rainbow Families talks about how the new community group is connecting diverse families and providing resources to same-sex parents in Queensland.

Rainbow Families Queensland is a group of volunteers who come from a range of backgrounds and professions. We are dedicated to supporting existing and prospective GLBTIQ families and to creating awareness among the general population. The group was started due to the lack of support available for rainbow families and the lack of resources available for professionals who come into contact with them (such as teachers, day care workers, etc).

Evolving from the Brisbane Rainbow Kids informal playgroups, we liked being able to connect with other LGBTIQ parents but it was not always easy for new parents or people new to Brisbane to find out about the playgroups and we wondered about people in rural and regional areas. We also felt that there was a gap in resources and advocacy for Rainbow Families in the mainstream community, as well as a lack of visibility and events for families in the queer community.

Our board members are active within the GLBTIQ community and we welcome the input of other members of our community. We have a dedicated board of five women and are looking to recruit some men to balance out the team. There is a great mix of skills and variety of backgrounds on the board at the moment and we are hoping to develop the organisation into a powerful community group over the next two years. We are now working on more grant applications and other projects, including family events for Brisbane Pride Festival this year.

The committee decided a website would be an important way to connect with other LGBTIQ parented families and provide resources and information to those who needed it, so we applied for grants until QAHC gave us funding to build a website. We also developed a strategic plan and two year goals for the organisation, turning our wish list into a to-do list!  The website has been our main project for the last six months and is now online, including free members’ only forums which allow Rainbow Families to make connections and support each other across the state.

We want to build a resilient, joyful, proud and empowered community of Rainbow Families that can support each other and be recognised for their contribution to the community as a whole.

For more information or to become part of the Rainbow Families community group please browse to www.rainbowfamiliesqld.org

Tammy Clinch is a committee member of Rainbow Families.