Mentorship and social support, ongoing
Nominated – WayAhead 2022 Mental Health Matters Awards – Rainbow Inclusion
Are you a young Muslim navigating sexuality and gender diversity?
Muslim Peers Project is an initiative by Outloud to support young queer Muslims experiencing mental health distress. Led by a Muslim social worker, this project hopes to provide a safe space for young people to access culturally sensitive support. This project utilises community peer support and mentoring, and art-based therapeutic intervention to strengthen solidarity, connection and community understanding.
Through our meetups and arts workshops, you can make social connections with other young queer or questioning Muslim folk, and get free sessions with a qualified, supportive Muslim counsellor.
This is a supportive, judgement-free space for you with people who understand.
Online, free and confidential support is now available.
Who is this service for?
Queer Muslims aged 14-years and above. This service is open to queer or questioning Muslims up to 35-years of age, however younger people will be prioritised in recognition of their limited ability to access services independently. This service is offered for people aged 14-25. If you are outside this age group, please still get in touch and we’ll see if we can support you or refer you to other places.
Eligibility criteria
- Muslim
- Queer
- Experiencing mental health distress
- Aged 14-35
What can this service offer?
- An accessible and collaborative Instagram page with creative and supportive contributions from queer Muslim artists and community members that you can add to
- Helpful resources
- Online anonymous support for young people
- 6 free face-to-face, phone or counselling sessions
- Connection with queer Muslim mentors and a community of peers
For any questions about this service, please contact Outloud on 02 9793 8324 or email info@outloud.org.au or our counsellor directly via DM on insta!
Check out our Instagram for events and resources and to get in touch:
@muslim_peers_project
Why is this service important?
- This project was created in response to a gap in service for young queer Muslims.
- More outreach support services are needed for young people who are navigating their sexuality and gender identity silently, and who are experiencing mental health distress, not because they are queer, but due to the stigma surrounding queer Muslims.
- Connection to community, to peers and role-models is important to establishing ongoing supports, as well as providing direct mental health support using creative, culturally-appropriate interventions.
- There is also a recognition that queer Muslims may seek out a Muslim practitioner who understands, and is sensitive to, their personal context, which differs from mainstream therapeutic support.
- This project borrows from Sekneh Hammoud-Beckett, who has worked with queer Muslims for 20 years, and her approach of ‘inviting in’ rather than ‘coming out’.
Partners and supporters
Supported by Youth Health Forum, Aurora Foundation, Doing It Differently (City of Canterbury Bankstown, Belmore Youth Resource Centre, South Western Sydney Local Health District)