Group "COME OUT"

Group "COME OUT" is youth NGO established in 2010 and registered in 2013 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Its work mainly targets the area of Novi Sad (the second largest city in northern part of Serbia) and Vojvodina, while closely cooperating with other NGOs and groups across Serbia and the Western Balkans region. Organisation started as informal group in 2010 aiming to provide psychosocial support to young LGB people and their parents, but has grown over the years into professional youth organisation that provides programmes in the field of psychosocial support, youth work, education, and advocacy. Thus, the overall aim of the organisation is to contribute to creating the society in which LGBTI* persons have opportunities to live their full potential. Our core programmes and activities are designed to meet the needs of young LGBTI* persons and members of their families, while the wider programme targets LGBTI* young adults and LGBTI* adults, experts that through their work provide services to LGBTI* people such as employees in the fields of education, health, social welfare, civil sector, and public administration. Recently, we have initiated advocacy programme that targets general population in Serbia, the youth and the adults, with an aim to inform them about the life experiences of LGBTI* people in order to change their discriminatory attitudes and behaviours towards LGBTI* population. In 2018 we have opened the first community centre for young LGBTI* people and their families in Serbia, that is open 4 days a week and gathers around 30 young LGBTI* people and 10 parents, and 8 psychologists. In 2016, jointly with other CSO in Novi Sad and Vojvodina, we have initiated the human rights festival named "OUR PRIDE" that focuses on the status of human rights and well being of vulnerable groups, and the initiative itself is named Panonian Platform for Human rights. The festival usually consist of multi-days programme with final event on 10th of December. Each member of the initiative contributes with their own programme. In the same year, we were engaged in establishment of the Network for prevention of discrimination and support to LGBT people of the City of Novi Sad, that is being active since and coordinated by the Deputy mayor of Novi Sad. The network gathers all city's departments, local public institutions (Police, Health, Social Welfare, etc) and 3 CSO. In 2019 we have organised the first Novi Sad pride week and Pride rally in May, marking the 17th May - International day against homo/bi/trans-phobia. The programme lasted 5 days, included lectures, theatre performance, open parents meeting, movie screening, panel discussions, and drag show. The youth from the community centre was involved in all events, while we had support of the Novi Sad city and the Deputy mayor spoke at the rally.