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 Welcome to the GLCS (SA) website. We have a 30 year history: 1976-2006. The Gay Counselling Service began in 1976. One of our first activities was a gay men's support group run out of the Box Factory Community Centre. From this support group we first offered face to face counselling. Later, the telephone counselling and support service known as 'Gayline' was established. In the early 1980s the Library Service was established. Our library has expanded to over 10,000 items since being based on the first book donations at the Thursday Night Gay Men's Drop-In. It is now recognised as one of the best Gay and Lesbian information resources in Australia. It is part of a joint project with the AIDS Council of SA, known collectively as the Darling House Community Library. In late 1985 there was a considerable expansion of our activities. Through the provision of government funding, an administrative base at 130 Carrington Street, was set up to provide a centre for the gay community, to facilitate counselling and education on HIV/AIDS and other health related issues. This was the first and only time that GLCS employed staff. When the AIDS Council of SA became fully funded in 1986, the Gay Counselling Service returned to its original function of counselling by phone and personal contact, becoming once again a totally volunteer-based service. In 1988, as more women became involved in Gayline counselling and other activities, the scope of the organisation was enhanced to include lesbian issues. Our name was then changed to the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service (GLCS). Until 1990, we continued to receive funding from the Health Commission, to provide information and peer-counselling to the gay community on HIV/AIDS issues. In 1991, we successfully applied for funding through the HHARP (HIV/HCV And Related Programs) division of the Dept. of Health. Although this funding is now our major source of funds, we also remain reliant on our own community-based fund-raising activities. At this same time we became a registered charitable organisation and began to accept tax deductible donations. In 1998, we were awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Community Service at the Inaugural Adelaide GT Community Awards Presentation Night. In March of 2006 on our 30th birthday, GLCS underwent a name change which was announced by Dr. Kevin Buckett at a function to honour the event and we became officially known as Gay and Lesbian Community Services of SA Inc. |
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