Andrew Wenzel is the Manager of headspace Albany, and alongside Annie Arnold, is the Co-Founder of Albany Pride. Prior to headspace Albany, Andrew was a doctor working in Psychiatry and Mental Health, and a broadcaster with the ABC
Andrew cares deeply about fairness, and that all people should be able to be themselves, and feel like they are welcome, and have a place they belong where they live.
Andrew moved to Albany in 2007, and started at headspace Albany in 2009, when there were only about 20 headspace centres across Australia (there are now more than 160).
It was pretty obvious early on that some young people coming to headspace Albany were doing so because as they worked their way through their teens — a time when all of us are working out who are, what’s important to us, and where we fit in — for young people who are LGBTIQA+, there was no visible support available, and no sense of “this is where I belong”. Back in the early 2000’s, in Albany, it would probably also be fair to say that was the case for all LGBTIQA+ people, not just the young ones. Andrew set out to try and change that at headspace Albany.
Not long after that, Andrew was introduced to Annie through a mutual friend, and they got talking about how to change the situation. What began as small, and sometimes very small gatherings, once a month at Kate’s Place, slowly gathered some momentum through word of mouth, and small but deliberate public displays of inclusiveness.
It brings Andrew great joy – and pride – to see that now 15 years on from that, Albany Pride is celebrating its 10th Festival, and not only celebrates the local Queer community, but brings people to the region from all over the place.
