Three years of work are finally yielding results and the new National Gay Helpline will start operating on Monday.

The helpline aims to offer support to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals who are facing problems.

Manned by volunteers who received the same training as those who man the 179 supportline, the service is confidential and offers a safe space for individuals to speak freely about their concerns.

Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) coordinator Sandro Mangion said the organisation had been working to set up the helpline almost since its inception in 2001.

He said a number of calls regarding sexual orientation were received by the 179 helpline, showing the need for this new helpline for homosexuals. He expressed the hope that more people would start calling when they needed support.

MGRM social welfare officer Gabriella Calleja explained that at first the helpline would be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6 - 9 p.m. The number is 2143 0006.

Ms Calleja said the MGRM worked with Agenzija Appogg since the latter had experience from the helpline 179 which has now been running for some years. She said the new helpline was important since homosexuals tended to look for support from people like them and most of the volunteers were homosexuals themselves and others were trained on gay issues.

"The volunteers aim to give first help to the callers and when the need arises they will be referred to other services," she explained.

Apart from the training they have already received together with their counterparts who operate the 179 helpline, the National Gay Helpline volunteers will be meeting on a monthly basis for further in-house training.

Ms Calleja said the volunteers would be compiling a database with information about the calls. She stressed that the service would be confidential and in most cases the callers would not even be asked their names.

Agenzija Appogg operations manager Yvonne Mallia said the volunteers received a 30-hour training course focusing on helping skills.

The importance of a sexual inclusion policy has the backing of both the government and the opposition, with Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina and Labour Party spokesman Marie Louise Coleiro agreeing on the issue.

"We need to talk about social inclusion which does not leave space for people to be excluded," the minister said. She said it was not enough to have a law to eradicate discrimination at the workplace for there was no room for discrimination anywhere.

Ms Coleiro said the project was a positive one, especially since it was offering a professional service.

The MGRM will be holding a Pride March for homosexuals and other minority groups Thursday coming and a weekend-long festival will be held at St James Cavalier, in Valletta next month.

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