Outline

In amongst the pretty things available for sale in Ponsonby — Republic Home, Milly’s etc — is a place filled with extreme love and beauty… and no one really knows about it. Outline has lived in a variety of homes over its forty years, but it currently resides on Cowan Street, Ponsonby. What is Outline? It’s a free counselling service that helps lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender New Zealanders (not just Aucklanders) live proud, happy and strong lives. Outline also plays home to an extensive library of LGBT books and serials that they lend out to community members wanting to read stories by people like them, for people like them. I know so many people who have been helped by Outline — both over the phone and in the centre itself. The team does a great job of helping people one-​on-​one and effecting change in mental health and social development through its research projects. I really can’t say enough about this place — it’s a little gay ray of sunshine that beams from its Cowan Street home.