Connect

We are here to help you connect with rainbow focused events and introduce you to safe places to find social support with like-minded people across the Waikato region.

Social Support

We facilitate a number of peer support spaces and events throughout the Waikato, including spaces for youth, families, and interest-based hobbies.
What's it like?
Our spaces are safe places to hang out with people just like you.

All attendees to our spaces and events must be willing to abide by the safe-space rules within our Attendee Code of Conduct; topics include privacy, respect and a zero-tolerance policy on bullying.

Who can come?

Youth events and spaces: ages 24 and under, support people welcome.

Adult events and spaces: ages 18+

Family events and spaces: Caregivers and children of any age.

Are your spaces accessible?
Rainbow Hub Waikato recognises the need for inclusivity and accessibility. With this in mind, we do all we can to make sure our venues are chosen to be wheelchair accessible. We keep in mind lighting and music arrangements where we are able, to ensure everybody can participate.

As part of maintaining safe environments, Rainbow Hub Waikato recognises that some people need more support around accessibility, behaviour, or mental health issues. We encourage community members to bring relevant support workers to help facilitate their engagement, while also holding all members to the same Membership Guidelines. Rainbow Hub Waikato reserves the right to ask anyone who is part of the safe environments to remove themselves if they breach policies and procedures, or their behaviour is deemed a risk to those around them.

Facebook groups

We have a number of Facebook groups relating to our different support spaces. You are welcome to join a Facebook group even if you have never attended one of our events or spaces before.

1:1 meetups

Not ready to attend an event? Would like to attend but have a few questions first? Feel free to reach out and one of our awesome staff will meet you for coffee or hot chocolate in a public place that suits you.

"I am so grateful to Rainbow Hub Waikato for their incredible work in providing everybody with an opportunity to have a safe place to express our concerns and connect with others in the Rainbow community."

"WaQuY has always felt like home to me. It’s been a place where I can make friends, hang out, learn new things, but also where I feel supported and accepted to be completely and utterly myself. 10/10 highly recommend."

"WaQuY has allowed me to truly come to understand myself, and have fun and meet great people along the way. It's been a great source of support and an invaluable part of my life since I joined it just over a year ago. Because of WaQuY I have firm friends, awesome relationships, and a thoroughly better understanding of the LGBTQ+ world and all of its intricacies."

"I started coming to WaQuY (now Rainbow Hub Waikato) when I was 15, and I've essentially called it a second home ever since. I've met people through this group that have quite literally changed my life for the better and I genuinely couldn't be more grateful. I've learnt and done things that never would have happened otherwise. Thank yall for helping me grow."