Supporting Groups, Supporting You
As advocates for health and wellbeing, our grassroots experience and practical frameworks help build the presence and potency of support groups.
Connect with people from all walks of life who understand the nuance of your lived experience. Find an existing group or establish, shape, promote and nourish a new support group based on a united vision.
Community-driven, we offer free services to help individuals, families, and carers seek and sustain support groups. From genetic conditions, chronic disease and mental health challenges to addiction, grief and loss, parenting, trauma and abuse – connect to a collective.
Support groups offer a lifeline to people who’ve walked in your shoes. Understanding, validation and shared lived experiences can move you from a place of isolation and depression to community and buoyancy.
Support groups gather people on similar paths to get out of ‘stuck’ places. Members can build co-constructed coping strategies that transform how they see the world and foster individual and collective accountability.
The simple and brave act of being open about your experience helps others and strengthens your agency, capacity and self-esteem. The power of the collective draws opportunities to access impactful speakers and professional insight.
Whatever your struggle: experience of violence, genetic conditions, chronic disease, addiction, grief and loss, abuse, carer and parenting issues or mental health – find your people. To connect with others seeking a community of shared experience, we refer you to the right support group.
If your group needs a guide, we’ll find you a facilitator, and if you’re searching for a home or inspiration, we source venues and speakers. We also create networking and training opportunities for professionals looking to hone their skills and meet like-minded practitioners.
If your newly-established group needs fundraising assistance or unincorporated support, sponsorship or guidance, we make it happen. We also promote and raise awareness of your group to reach the people who need you most.
Find Your Fit
Find a group by searching our online directory for your community. With thousands of support groups across Queensland, there’s a place where you belong.
Get in touch to register your support group for exposure in our directory.
Support groups
Our online directory has over 800 support groups from across Queensland. Browse our listings to find the services that will best suit your needs or contact us if you need assistance.
Resource bank
We have a variety of resources available including information sheets, newsletters and crisis contacts. If you are after something specific and can’t find it, please contact our team for assistance.
Help us help others
There are several ways you can assist our not for profit group from volunteering to vital donations. We rely on extensive support systems to grow and continue offering our services.
Who We Help
If you’re looking for a support group, we refer you to the right circle for your concern. Whether you’ve experienced violence, abuse or mental health issues, have a genetic condition or chronic disease diagnosis, are struggling with addiction, grief and loss or carer and parenting challenges, we point you or your organisation toward the most suitable support group.
Whatever your struggle, peer support can raise your resilience and sense of hopefulness. The strength and support gained from a group extend beyond it to community, organisational and societal levels. Because members have been where you are, seeing their willingness to move beyond staying stuck is powerful. By normalising experiences and reactions, groups help members adopt a healthier worldview and coping strategies.
Peer support fosters a sense of belonging and validation, enables new connections, and lowers anxiety, stress and depression. Through emotional and social reassurance, groups grow your confidence and self-esteem. They share resources, invite guest speakers and run activities to inspire motivation and healing.
Our directory lists over 800 support groups across Queensland. Reach out to a group via the database, or we can connect you.
Whatever your cause, our free, practical know-how can help you establish, develop, promote, and sustain local or international, online or in-person support groups of any size.
Pen a mission statement to solidify your group’s purpose. Consider member schedules to figure out how often to meet. Venue atmosphere is crucial, as is accessibility and being within driving distance. If your group location isn’t inclusive, consider online or hybrid meetings.
We can help you determine membership criteria and if people can join anytime or during intake windows. Remember privacy, establish member consent to distribute a member contact directory and agree on someone to field questions and send notifications.
Establish whether your group runs gratis, by donation, charges a membership fee or operates on fundraising. Whatever you decide, it’s important to communicate this clearly before the first meeting.
We can discuss how your group will handle conflict and create a code of conduct to regulate respectful, non-judgemental communication. With a list of professional contacts, you can point members to appropriate help if someone discloses something beyond the group’s capability.
Starting a group is a process; find one person – then, together, you can look for more allies. When the group begins: seek common ground and solutions and build on everyone’s strengths by leaning on the power of the collective.
Contact us for more information and to list your group in our directory.
If you’re struggling with challenges or circumstances, they can reshape your reality by helping you:
- Realise you’re not alone and find validation through shared experience.
- Find a non-judgemental place to be open and honest about how you feel.
- Learn helpful information and practical tips and get access to resources.
- Practise your social skills and gain coping strategies.
- Build hope and control by learning from members further into their recovery.
- Reduce distress, discomfort, depression, anxiety and fatigue.
- Help others and increase self-understanding through sharing struggles and successes.
- Gain insight into your disease, symptoms, treatment options and side effects.
Latest News & Resources
AGM Annual Report 2022: Collaborating for Change
Previous Next We presented our 2022 Annual Report at our AGM on the 1st of December. We reflected on the year we had and how collaboration facilitates stronger, more effective networks of support and how support groups can be integral to overcoming loneliness. The AGM also provided an opportunity to network and connect with our
Support Groups Checklist
Support Groups QLD works to support you to find your people. We aim to foster individual and collective wellbeing. Our door is always open to consult and assist new and existing groups to grow and sustain their members. Download our useful Support Groups Checklist (PDF)
May 2022 Newsletter
May 2022 Edition: Opinion: I believe my work with SGQ, and my Support Group help keep this man healthy Mind, Voice and Community: Join a Singing Group QLD Somali Day Celebrations 2022 Click here to download and view (PDF)
Keep in touch
To join the conversation, follow our Facebook Page. We also host a closed Facebook Group where people interested in running better support groups share information.
Subscribing to our mailing list is a great way to stay up to date with current events at Support Groups QLD and within the Support Group community. We update subscribers bi-monthly on relevant news and information, upcoming sector development and events, educational articles, and opportunities.