Fresh Fruits in the fruit bowl

Liv and Rob invite young people to join the Fresh Fruits youth group.

If you’re under 25 years and want to hang out with other gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender, intersex or queer young people, Fresh Fruits could be the support group for you.

The youth group meets twice monthly on Thursdays from 4.30-6.30pm (next meeting September 9) at the Tropical Fruits fruit bowl and also plans to hold monthly barbecues and discos, as well as arts activities and anything else young people were interested in doing.

Group co-ordinator Rob Bland and co-facilitator Liv invite young queer and queer-friendly people to come along and make some friends in a supportive environment.

“Every week we keep an open door if people want to speak to us,” Liv said. “They can come in just for a chat, or for advice if they are having difficulties.”

Liv said that the Fresh Fruits group was important because it played a vital role in providing peer support for young people.

“The group is run by and for same-sex attracted young people,” Liv said. “As facilitators in the same age bracket, we understand what young people want and can talk to them about issues that matter to them.

“We started it because there is still a negative attitude in schools toward gay people. We want to normalise being gay and break down the barriers. People are always trying to put labels on others and don’t understand that it’s not a choice to be gay – it’s part of who you are.”

Liv said that peer pressure and mental health issues were major issues in the gay community and she and Rob have been travelling around to schools, talking to students and telling their own stories about growing up and the challenges faced by young people.

“We want to open people’s minds and get them to understand that it’s not easy being a young gay person,” she said.

For more information about the Fresh Fruits youth group, phone ACON on 6622 155 or Tropical Fruits on 6622 6440.