GOTAFE Wins LGBTQI+ Pride Award

GOTAFE has taken home the 2019 Victorian Public Sector (VPS) Pride Awards for its work promoting LGBTQI+ acceptance, inclusion and celebration.

The annual VPS Pride Awards recognise and celebrate achievement inclusion in VPS workplaces. GOTAFE won the 2019 Regional Pride Initiative of the Year Award category.

GOTAFE Social Justice Champions

GOTAFE CEO Travis Heeney spoke about the achievement saying, “GOTAFE is excited and humbled to win the Award for Regional Pride Initiative of the Year. We have worked closely with the LGBTQI+ community over the past 12 months to ensure our organisation is welcoming and inclusive. 

"Activities have included sponsoring 2 LGBTQI+ Scholarships for the FLEDGE Leadership program, the provision of a space for GV Pride to meet, providing Gold Sponsorship to the OutintheOpen Festival and the hosting of a Wear it Purple day morning tea.”

Kellie Vise – GOTAFE Executive Director Student Attraction & Community Engagement; Sarah Roberts – GOTAFE Engagement Advisor; Damien Stevens-Todd – GOTAFE Team Leader Operations Health, Wellbeing & Community; Travis Heeney – GOTAFE CEO; Diana Taylor – GOTAFE Board Chair

Mr Heeney commented on the permanently raised Rainbow Flags across campuses.

“GOTAFE is also extremely proud to have (permanently raised Rainbow) Flag’s across all campuses during 2019. While this might be seen as a simple action, members of LGBTQI+ communities across our 9 campuses tell us that it is a vitally important symbol which promotes inclusion, acceptance and celebration and allows people to feel safe to express who they are as individuals at each of our campuses.” 

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