transgender transsexual Sydney

This website was last updated on Monday June 22nd 2009

The Gender Centre is proudly supported by the following organisations:

City of Sydney Council Marrickville Council The Aurora Group Inner City Legal Centre Street Smart Australia

The Gender Centre is committed to developing and providing services and activities which enhance the ability of people with gender issues to make informed choices.

The Gender Centre is also committed to educating the public and providers about the needs of people with gender issues. We offer a wide range of services to people with gender issues, their partners, families and friends in New South Wales. We also act as an education, support, training and referral / resource Centre to other Organizations and Service Providers. We specifically aim to provide a high quality service which acknowledges human rights and ensures respect and confidentiality.

Gender Centre Opening Hours

The Gender Centre is located at 7 Bent Street, Petersham. We are open weekdays from 9:00am to 4:30pm.

Services Provided

Counselling

The Gender Centre provides Counselling to residential clients, community clients, partners, family members and friends of people with gender issues at no cost. The counselling service also provides support and education to school counsellors as well as counsellors in rural areas.

Residential Program

Up to 11 residents (16 years of age or over), can be accommodated in three semi-supported refuge houses. Residents can stay for up to 12 months and are supported to move towards independent living, residents are encouraged to consider a range of options available to meet their needs.

Exit House Program

The Gender Centre provides semi-supported accommodation for 6 clients (16 years of age or over) in partnership with the Woman's Hosing Company in self-contained units. Residents can stay for up to 12 months and are supported to move towards independent living, residents are encouraged to consider a range of options available to meet their needs.

Case Management

Intensive Case Management is provided for those who find themselves in Gender Centre Housing as well as the Gender Centre Exit Housing Program.

Community Case-Management

Intensive case-management is provided to all community clients accessing the Gender Centre within the boarders of New South Wales as well as co/case-management with other service providers.

Advocacy Service

The Gender Centre provides advocacy support for transgender and gender questioning people to help facilitate effective outcomes. The most common advocacy support provided is in dealings with the police when reporting a crime or being questioned in relation to a criminal matter, the Department of Housing to prevent evictions, Centrelink to establish payment of correct entitlements, Aged Care services to provide suitable supported care options and disability support programs to acquire suitable appliances and equipment for independent living.

Training for Service Providers and Others

The Gender Centre offers training, support and workshops to employers, service providers, students and other people interested in gender issues. Topics covered include implications for staff and clients in relation to anti-discrimination legislation and E.E.O. issues, workplace harassment and provision of goods and services as well as many personal aspects of the transgender process. Training is provided 2 times per year to the Centre for Community Welfare Training Centre (C.C.W.T.).

Training and Education for clients

The Gender Centre offers training, support and workshops to residential and non-residential clients of the Gender Centre, workshops include recreational and general interest courses, employment, work skills development training, health, nutrition, cooking and living skills courses as well as stand alone nights when guest speakers present mini forums on current issues relating to the lives of transgender people living in New South Wales.

Outreach

Available to clients confined in their homes and in hospital in the inner and outer city areas from Monday to Friday.

Night Outreach

Available to street based sex workers and private parlours in the inner city and surrounding areas on a Wednesday evening from 8:00pm to midnight.

Gaol Outreach

Available to all Transgender and Gender questioning clients confined in a correctional centre within the boarders of New South Wales (all Gender Centre staff are Authorised visitors).

Court & Cell Outreach:

Available to all Transgender and Gender questioning clients within the inner city and surrounding areas.

Resource Development

The Gender Centre Produces a range of print and online resources on H.I.V./ AIDS, medical and other information relevant to people with gender issues and their service providers. Information packages (Kits) fact-sheets and other printed materials including Polare. As part of the resources provided by the Gender Centre we have a library with an array of books and audio-visual material on the issues pertinent to gender questioning and transgender people available for loan free of charge.

Partners Family Members and Friends

The Gender Centre provides Support, education as well as referrals to a wide range of specialist counselling, health, legal, welfare and other community services that are available to the Transgender community.

Wednesday Night Drop-in

The Gender Centre runs a weekly drop-in on a Wednesday night from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Clients are provided with a meal and Guest speakers are available at most drop-ins.

Social and Support

The Gender Centre Provides social and support groups and outings to people with gender issues

Drug and Alcohol Service

The centre provides counselling support, education and referrals to a broad range of services.

N.S.E.P. Service

The Gender Centre runs a secondary N.E.S.P. service, Needle Exchange, condoms and Lube

Your Opinion

Coming Soon . . .

Polare 79 Out Now!

Feature articles include . . .
Surgery: A Guide for F.T.M.s Part 3Seven Sexes: So What Am I?What Is Seahorse?Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Part 3
. . . and all your favourite regular articles.
Email: resources@gendercentre.org.au to subscribe.

Latest News

Guest Speaker at July 3rd F.T.M. Drop In

Yasmine Hunter from the Inner City Legal Centre will be attending the next F.T.M.' Drop-In on Friday July 3rd, 6:00pm – 8:00pm to discuss any legal matters that interest you, particularly issues relating to documents of identity.

Parents Forum

The Gender Centre is holding a forum for Transgender Parents. This is an opportunity for you as parents to meet and discuss your concerns with organizers Gaye Stubbs (Gender Centre Counsellor); Katherine Cummings (Editor); Catherine Wilson and Yasmin Hunter (Inner City Legal Centre). The forum will be limited to 12 participants and will be held on Saturday 1st August 2009, 10:00am – 12:30pm at the Gender Centre, 7 Bent Street Petersham. To secure a position please email resources@gendercentre.org.au or telephone Katherine at the Gender Centre on (02) 9569 2366, Monday or Wednesday between 9:00am - 12:00pm.

Policy & Procedure Document for Services Working With Transgender Clients

The Gender Centre has produced the above mentioned publication to assist other services providers who work with transgender clients. The document is particularly aimed at accommodation services and can be viewed as a web page, downloaded as a P.D.F. file (162kb) or downloaded as a Microsoft Word document (149kb).

Request for Information

Freelance Journalist Elizabeth Murray writes for a national indigenous newspaper with a readership of approximately 100,000 each fortnight. Her articles often address issues that are not often looked at in the mainstream media about deaths in custody. She is currently writing an article on Veronica Baxter who died in the M.R.R.C. three days after being arrested and detained at the Mardi Gras. Veronica, an Indigenous transgender lady living in Surry Hills, had a number of friends through the Gender Centre. Elizabeth would like to hear from any of these friends, who may be able to assist her with her article. If you wish to make contact with Elizabeth, please contact the Gender Centre on (02) 9569 2366 and we will put you in touch with her.

F.T.M. & Partners' Monthly Drop In

The Gender Centre will be hosting monthly drop-ins on a Friday evening from 6:00pm to 8:00pm exclusively for F.T.M.'s. Partners of F.T.M.'s are more than welcome as this will be a chance to meet and possibly form a support group. Guest speakers will be in attendance with a different topic each month, participants are strongly encouraged to inform the staff of suitable topics. The first F.T.M. only drop-in will be held on Friday May 1st. Food will be included

Gender Centre Barbecues

Please note that the 2009 Spring Barbecue will be held on Sunday 20th September and the Christmas Barbecue will be held on Sunday 13th December 2009, both at the Joseph Sargeant Community Centre, 60 Prospect Street, Erskineville. Please contact the Gender Centre closer to these dates to confirm date and venue details are still current.

2007-2008 Annual Report

The Gender Centre's 2007-2008 Annual Report presented at the Annual General Meeting in September is now available online ... [more]

Thank You

The Gender Centre wish to thank the Aurora Group, Marrickville City Council, City of Sydney Council and The Street Smart Project for their contributions towards the refurbishment of the Gender Centre refuge houses.