Initiative Summary
Moving Positively Together in Atlantic Canada was a one-day workshop for people living with HIV from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and PEI. It was part of a two-day weekend event co-hosted by AIRN and the Canadian Positive People Network (CPPN), where the first day included a regional symposium hosted by the CPPN to consult with people living with HIV and HIV co-infections around regional needs, gaps and priorities as well as to learn about U=U, the opioid crisis, and HIV criminalization.
Initiative Objectives and Goals
1. To connect/reconnect people living with HIV in the Atlantic Region; 2. To build a network of people living with HIV across the four Atlantic provinces; 3. To build leadership capacity for the HIV Stigma Index implementation among people living with HIV in the Atlantic Region; 4. To exchange knowledge of HIV-related stigma, its consequences, and the People Living with HIV Stigma Index; and 5. To develop a proposal in the fall of 2018 to implement the HIV Stigma Index.
The Role of this Initiative to End the HIV Epidemic
It is essential that responses and initiatives to ending the HIV epidemic are centred with those individuals and communities who continue to be disproportionately impacted by the epidemic.
Meaningful Engagement with People with Lived Experience
The initiative was designed by and for People Living with HIV from across the Atlantic Region.
Region
Atlantic Region
A REACH Funded Initiative
Initiative Leads
REACH; AIRN
Key performance indicators
Primary target audience
People living with HIV from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and PEI
Start Date
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Strategic marketing and support tactics
Website, Social networks, Email campaign
RESULTS
Attendees were from Nova Scotia (14), Newfoundland and Labrador (6), New Brunswick (3) and PEI (3). Of these, 19 participants identified as men and 8 identified as women. Ages ranged from 34–79 years, with a mean age of 52 years. The mean number of years since an HIV-diagnosis was 23, with a range from within the last 5 years to 35 years ago. Respondents were asked to indicate on a 5-point scale, the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the workshop had an impact on various items of relevance to the goals and objectives of AIRN’s “Building Capacity for the Stigma Implementation in Atlantic Canada” project. The survey asked to what extent they agreed that the workshop helped participants to connect/ reconnect to people living with HIV in the Atlantic Region; feel less alone/isolated; and see the strengths we have for building an Atlantic Network of people living with HIV. Respondents were also asked to rate to what extent they agreed or disagreed that the event helped participants learn about HIV-related stigma and its complexity, as well as about the benefits of the HIV Stigma Index. They were also asked whether the event helped participants explore what can be done to strengthen the network of people living with HIV in Atlantic Canada, as well as to move toward implementing the HIV Stigma Index in the region. Average ratings on the seven items indicated the workshop was perceived as very helpful, with mean ratings ranging from 3.7 – 4.5.
Results
Attendees were from Nova Scotia (14), Newfoundland and Labrador (6), New Brunswick (3) and PEI (3). Of these, 19 participants identified as men and 8 identified as women. Ages ranged from 34–79 years, with a mean age of 52 years. The mean number of years since an HIV-diagnosis was 23, with a range from within the last 5 years to 35 years ago. Respondents were asked to indicate on a 5-point scale, the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the workshop had an impact on various items of relevance to the goals and objectives of AIRN’s “Building Capacity for the Stigma Implementation in Atlantic Canada” project. The survey asked to what extent they agreed that the workshop helped participants to connect/ reconnect to people living with HIV in the Atlantic Region; feel less alone/isolated; and see the strengths we have for building an Atlantic Network of people living with HIV. Respondents were also asked to rate to what extent they agreed or disagreed that the event helped participants learn about HIV-related stigma and its complexity, as well as about the benefits of the HIV Stigma Index. They were also asked whether the event helped participants explore what can be done to strengthen the network of people living with HIV in Atlantic Canada, as well as to move toward implementing the HIV Stigma Index in the region. Average ratings on the seven items indicated the workshop was perceived as very helpful, with mean ratings ranging from 3.7 – 4.5.
Insights
