“After 35 years being known as the Auckland Gay and Lesbian Welfare Group Incorporated and using the names Gayline and Lesbianline, changes are in the air,” says the General Manager Neil Denney as he unveils the group's new name and logo. “After months of consultation with our members and many hours of meetings we have officially become ‘Outline NZ', with our members voting to ratify the change of name this week,” he says. Changing a name after so many years of being known by the one name is never an easy decision to make and it must be well planned and thought out, Denney explains. “Gayline was set up 35 years ago by approximately ten gay men and operated for gay men, out of their homes and became known as Auckland Gay and Lesbian Welfare Group. The community was very different then. This was prior to law reform or legal civil union, back then we were illegal and people needed lots of support. “Times have moved on and our community has changed much - we cater to a much wider audience then we did at first. In 2007 we have grown so much as a community and for some time we have catered to a wider cross section then just gay and lesbian callers," he says. “Over recent years we have taken calls from the whole rainbow spectrum that makes up our community and their families and whanau. Our focus has changed and the name Outline NZ more clearly represents that change." Denney says he's pleased to show off Outline NZ's new logo, a result of an online design competition which attracted 35 entries. “Choosing the new design was very difficult, but we are more than happy with the look and feel of the new logo as move into the future,” he says. The winner, Deon Hendrikz, received a weekend stay at the luxurious Umoya Lodge on the Seabird Coast, and his winning logo will soon be used in all of Outline NZ's promotional material. Outline NZ takes calls from all over New Zealand via an 0800 HIV/AIDS hotline and on a general Auckland-based counselling line. "The calls come from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and those uncertain and wanting to talk," Denney explains. The organisation is also now working with transgender support network Genderbridge, answering their calls when there is a shortage of Genderbridge volunteers. “The calls are answered with the greeting ‘welcome to the Genderbridge helpline' so the caller still feels connected, and Genderbridge still gets the kudos, but it also relieves the pressure on their volunteers,” says Denney. The phone is diverted to Outline at periods during the week and Genderbridge volunteers are rostered to take calls throughout the week too. In this model of working, Genderbridge and Outline retain their autonomy and separate funding streams, however they are able to make joint funding submissions for the phone line. “With the ever shrinking funding dollar, this bipartisan approach is appreciated by funding agencies as they see a reduction in service duplication and their dollar goes further. “We are keen to extend this model to other areas and are investigating the right telephone equipment to do this." Outline already takes calls from all over the country in locations where there is no GLTTB help line. Outline NZ will conduct its first telephone counselling course from 27 October and is seeking trainees for the course to become telephone counsellors. A re-launch party for the organisation is also planned for later in Spring. The Outline NZ phone number is 09 303 3584. Ref: Outline NZ (m)