Marking its first appearance at the Pride London festival, London’s Community Counseling Center will introduce two new programs for the LGBTQ2 community.
The non-profit organization works to provide affordable and discounted consulting services for London and the surrounding areas.
pride festival is set to make a grand comeback for the first time since the start of COVID-19 The pandemic, lasting from 14 to 24 July. The festival will feature a variety of different performances, live music and more, leading up to the 26th Annual Pride Parade.
“To have the opportunity to be present at Pride and say that we are here for the whole of the City of London is a rare opportunity indeed,” said Bruce Dow, a physician intern at London’s Community Counseling Centre.
The center will soon offer a one-time program called Allie Awareness Workshops that will focus on providing information aimed at answering questions about sex, sexuality, pronouns, gender identity and more.
Additionally, the organization will launch “a monthly or bi-weekly group support experience to recognize that London’s 2SLGBTQIAP+ community has specific needs that differ from those of the community at large.”
“It would be like a group therapy meeting, (but) just a group support for wellness, additional information (and) community support,” Dow said.
He said that these two programs have been marked as a starting point for the Center in offering new services.
“We’re looking at baby steps right now,” Dow said. “There are many collaborators who want to understand and engage[but]this can be challenging. Also, we thought we would start with just a general support group for the community to be interested in to see what we can make.
“As we work with people, you may find that specific needs and specific interests will emerge. Then we’ll focus more clearly on what’s going on.”
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According to Dow, the center’s booth will be in Victoria Park during the final 48 hours of the 10-day festival. However, the organization plans to officially implement these workshops after the Pride Festival.
“This is an opportunity for us to reach the community in a different way, to offer some really different services,” he said.
But regardless of programs, Dow said more people are reaching out than in previous years, both within the community and emerging from the pandemic.
“Our lives are kind of put on hold,” he said. “But now, more people are reaching out wondering how they can transform their lives and experiences.
“We are now looking at offering something more specific to a specific segment of the community.”
to visit Community Counseling Center of London website For more information about the centre.
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