Impact Rooted in Community. Change Led by Experience.

“Queertopia allows me to channel my passion for change and desire to help people into something that feels tangible while giving me the opportunity to challenge myself and grow my skillset in the months I’ve been with Queertopia I think it has been a really necessary service and I can’t wait to see it grow even more and be a part of that growth. Definitely helped me expand my professional skills like using programs like excel, and helped me to take account of my mental health and treat my mental health as a priority”

“The Community Forum has…been of great benefit to members of our club, several of whom have attended workshops and even been invited to facilitate sessions. It continues to be a valuable community resource that promotes connection, learning, and inclusion. I have also had the opportunity to volunteer at several Queertopia community events, which has allowed me to support and give back to the community in new and rewarding ways….I have also attended the Queertopia Business and Partner Forum, which I found extremely informative. It provided valuable insight into the range of organisations, services, and support available within the community such as Positive East and Aillia Impact. Through these sessions, I had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and share information with my team members…More recently, I participated in the Allia Impact / Hackney Impact ‘Start Strong’ six-week programme, which covered key areas such as project management, governance, financial modelling, and relationship and data management. The programme has been highly beneficial to Steppers’ ongoing growth, sustainability, and future development.”

“The ongoing partnership between Allia Impact and Queertopia Consortium has continuously provided support and reach to organisations and individuals across the borough. QC first got in touch with Allia to receive some business support but it was clear that the relationship would extremely valuable to Allia. Through Queertopia Consortium we at Allia Impact have become more aware of the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, especially because the community is often left out of the council’s engagement and target communities to support, but obviously the LGBTQ+ community faces a lot of challenges….What Allia has gained significantly from the relationship with Queertopia Consortium is the fact that we are more thoughtful as an organisation towards the LGBTQ+ community. We are better connected in Hackney and beyond to different people, organisations etc because of it.”

“…Being part of Queertopia has helped me develop my work within CAMHS in quite a meaningful way. I’ve been able to take the voices and views of the local LGBTQIA+ community back to the service and think about how we can make what we do more accessible and inclusive. One example of this has been adapting the wording of some of the information we share with other services and young people, so it feels clearer, more affirming, and easier to understand….Overall, Queertopia has created a bridge between community and service spaces. It has shown how collaboration, openness and care can make a real difference to the way we support young people.”

“Making a connection with Queertopia has been beneficial for the Homerton in many ways, both for individuals and for our organisation. Conversations and workshops have enabled us to discuss issues in an honest and open way, listen to feedback about our services and consider how to make our care more inclusive. We have happily shared information about Queertopia’s networking opportunities and other events with our Homerton LGBTQIA+ staff network, Homerton Rainbow, and across the organisation. It has been great to be able to contribute and collaborate in mutually beneficial ways, learning and sharing.”