CATALYST FOUNDATION
COMMUNITY GROUP OF THE YEAR
NOMINATED FOR
North Adelaide
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How would you describe yourself or your work in one sentence?
Championing Safe, Inclusive Ageing for LGBTIQA+ South Australians
Tell us a little about what you do
Catalyst Foundation works toward inclusive ageing across South Australia. We translate aged care reform into practical, accessible information, helping older South Australians understand their rights and options within a changing system — including those from LGBTIQA+ communities who have historically experienced exclusion within care settings.
Through training, resource development and sector support, we strengthen the capacity of aged care providers to embed cultural safety into everyday practice. By bridging policy and lived experience, we contribute to safer, more inclusive ageing pathways for LGBTIQA+ communities, while supporting a system that works better for everyone.
What impact or achievement are you most proud of this year?
In the past 12 months, Catalyst Foundation has delivered more than 15 LGBTIQA+ inclusion training sessions across South Australia — both in-person and online — directly engaging more than 270 aged care and community sector staff and volunteers. This work strengthens frontline confidence and supports providers to embed cultural safety into everyday practice.
Catalyst is now developing a dedicated Learning Management System to expand access nationally across aged care, health, disability and private sector organisations — positioning this work for scalable, sustainable impact.
Catalyst also delivers Toward A Safe Place — a specialist Family and Domestic Violence training program delivered through an LGBTIQA+ lens. This highly targeted workshop addresses the unique dynamics, barriers to disclosure and systemic gaps experienced by LGBTIQA+ people impacted by FDV. In the past 12 months, 35 frontline workers have been equipped with the knowledge and confidence to respond more safely and effectively.
To further increase accessibility, Catalyst is piloting open attendance workshops, enabling individual practitioners and smaller organisations to participate without the barrier of hosting full organisational sessions. This model expands reach, tests sector demand and supports more equitable access to specialist training.
Beyond formal training, Catalyst maintains an active statewide engagement network. Across the past year, our monthly communications directly reached 2,532 subscribers, with broader circulation through community forwarding networks. This ensures older South Australians and service providers receive trusted information and timely updates throughout the year. Through our monthly Book Club and Dinner Group, we facilitated over 330 individual attendances — creating safe and affirming opportunities for LGBTIQA+ community members to connect, share experiences and strengthen peer support.
Catalyst also leads two dedicated inclusion platforms: Rainbow Directory SA, increasing visibility of inclusive and affirming businesses across the state, and Proudly Safe SA, a targeted online safety resource for LGBTIQA+ young people and their support networks.
Together, this integrated approach strengthens service capability, increases visible inclusion signals, and builds safer, more connected pathways for LGBTIQA+ South Australians across the lifespan.
Why does your work matter to the community?
For many LGBTIQA+ people, ageing can bring uncertainty. Past experiences of discrimination mean that entering aged care — or even receiving in-home services — can feel risky. Some still fear having to hide who they are in order to receive support. Our work actively reduces that fear.
By strengthening provider capability and increasing visible signals of inclusion, we help create environments where LGBTIQA+ people can access services without compromising their identity. Through accessible information, social connection opportunities and inclusive community platforms, we support people to feel safer, more informed and less isolated.
When older LGBTIQA+ South Australians feel confident to seek support, remain socially connected and engage openly with services, outcomes improve — not only for individuals, but for families, providers and the broader community. Inclusion strengthens the whole system.
What would you like voters to know when voting for you?
Vote for Catalyst Foundation because every LGBTIQA+ person deserves to age safely, openly and with dignity. Our work focuses on the ageing and aged care sector — where past discrimination continues to create barriers to seeking support. We reduce isolation, build trust in services and strengthen visible inclusion for older LGBTIQA+ South Australians. As an information and sector support organisation, we translate complex reform into practical guidance for providers and accessible information for community members. Through workforce training, specialist programs and inclusive resource development, we help ensure that older LGBTIQA+ people feel safe, seen, heard and included when accessing care and community services. A vote for Catalyst recognises consistent, practical work that continues to evolve as we learn, listen and strengthen inclusive ageing across South Australia.