Open Doors Youth ServiceOpen Doors Youth ServiceODYS was created by community for community 24 years ago and remains Queensland’s only dedicated LGBTIQ+ SB youth service.
We believe in hiring staff with lived experience and local knowledge, so they can best support our young people and their unique needs. Our staff are representative of the young people we support with 73% of our staff identifying as trans or gender diverse and 100% of staff identifying with diverse sexualities. We are committed to being a lived experience and peer support service. We also recognise that employment opportunities for trans and gender diverse people can be limited due to discrimination and because of this we see a lack of trans and gender diverse people in leadership roles. ODYS is committed to amplifying the voices of trans and gender diverse people which is why 40% of our leadership team are part of this community.
Our mission is to provide LGBTIQ+, Sistergirl & Brotherboy young people with access to appropriate and safe supports, that builds their resilience, strengthens their identity, and provides them with community.
Our vision is a world where all young people live authentically and unapologetically, free from the fear of violence, discrimination, and isolation.
Open Doors was created by community for community. By building community, we ensure that Open Doors is not just an organisation, but a family. We know that inherently all people have a need to belong and that is why community remains at the heart of everything we do.
Inclusion is the cornerstone of ODYS and ensures every individual is embraced, valued, and celebrated for who they are. We create safe, welcoming, and affirming spaces where diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives are not only acknowledged but cherished.
Justice is our unwavering commitment to advocate for the rights of our community, dismantle systems of oppression, and stand against all forms of discrimination.
Justice means ensuring that every voice is heard, every identity respected, and every person is treated with humanity.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” – Anais Nin
At ODYS, we view growth as the nurturing of personal evolution, resilience, and empowerment. We are steadfast in our mission to support young people as they bravely grow into their authentic selves.
At ODYS we work to enable young people to be empowered by providing them with the tools, resources, and confidence to take control of their lives and be their own biggest advocate.
We believe in nurturing their strengths, and amplifying their voices, by fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and capable. We aim to empower young people with resilience, leadership, and a sense of agency.
At ODYS, our team of lived experience workers embody the power of showing up every day as our authentic selves.
We understand that visibility and representation are crucial. You cannot be what you cannot see. So with unwavering commitment, we strive to be the inspiring role models our young people need and deserve.
Open Doors Youth Service Inc. acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First people and Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters where we meet, live, learn and work. We acknowledge and celebrate the rich and thriving diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the oldest continuing living cultures in the world.
Phone: (07) 3257 7660
Email: opendoors@opendoors.net.au