La Trobe University is investigating the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) refugees, asylum seekers and newly arrived migrants.
La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society is looking for participants for a
research project into the experience of LGBT young people who have arrived in Australia as refugees,
asylum seekers or migrants.
Researchers are looking to speak to LGBT people over 21 years old now but who were under 18 when they
arrived in Australia.
This is the second phase of a larger research project. The first phase found that service providers and case
managers who worked with LGBT asylum seekers, refugees and new migrants felt that they needed more
training to allow them to better support their clients.
The second phase of the project will investigate LGBT young people’s experiences of accessing support
services and include these experiences in training and resources aimed at improving the quality and reach
of services provided to this population.
LGBT people over 21 years old, but who were under 18 when they arrived in Australia as refugees, asylum
seekers or new migrants who wish to take part should contact the Project Officer, David Mejia-Canales on
d.mejia-canales@latrobe.edu.au or visit: www.glhv.org.au
Any people wishing to take part in the project can be assured that their confidentiality can be assured.
William Leonard, Director GLHV said that “Very little work has been done on the experiences and needs of
LGBT young people who are newly arrived in Australia. What we do know is that many service providers do
not feel that they have the knowledge or expertise to address the needs of this population”.
David Mejia-Canales, who will be conducting the interviews said, “We hope that by talking to LGBT young
people who have arrived in Australia as refugees, asylum seekers or migrants, we can include their
experiences in training and resources aimed at improving the quality of support services they receive and
making them feel more welcome and at home”.
La Trobe University Hu man Research Ethics Approval: 15-012