The Headspace Bega team have created a booklet for businesses as part of their Trans and Gender Diverse Youth Health Pathways Project (TaGDHP), which was informed by the lived experiences of young gender diverse people.

The umbrella term 'trans and gender diverse' describes a population of people whose gender is different to what was assigned to them at birth.

Australian studies on the health and well-being of trans individuals alarmingly reported that 63 per cent had engaged in self-harm and 43 per cent had attempted suicide. Additional findings show that these figures will only improve if societal discrimination is reduced, and through better access to relevant physical and mental health services for these individuals.

Young people in regional areas like the Bega Valley have found it difficult to find clear affirmation pathways and relevant information regarding the needs of trans and gender diverse people.

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The Headspace working group identified that more information was needed for young people and their families as well as more education resources for the community, especially for businesses.

Headspace Bega Community Engagement Officer, Carly McDonald, said the group created a brochure on social affirmation which helps businesses better understand how they can address and support these young people to feel safer in the community.

Headspace created the booklet as a crash course with the intention of providing information on how to be a better alley for trans and gender diverse youth.

"It was decided that supporting businesses to engage with the Trans101 Gender Diversity Crash Course was the best resource to start with.

"What better content to guide good allyship than that created by trans and gender diverse young people," said Ms McDonald.

This would look like business owners reading the booklet, spending time going through it with their staff and creating and maintaining connections with headspace reps from the working group to ensure they feel confident that their workplaces are safe and supportive places for these young people.

"Our hope is for young trans and gender diverse people are able to feel like they can order a coffee or run some errands at any business in the region, free from the worry that they may be mis-gendered, discriminated against or made to feel unsafe," said Ms McDonald.

School of Strength, Cafe Evolve, and Nook Cafe have already engaged with the course and Headspace Bega is hoping more businesses, "will commit to providing a safe and welcoming place for trans and gender."

If your business would like to access this information in order to join this list please contact Carly McDonald via email cmcdonald@gph.org.au or phone on 0436819221.