KATALYST, supported with a grant from Brighton and Hove City Primary
Care Trust can offer free training workshops to volunteers, staff, members and members
of management committees of gay and lesbian voluntary organisations and community
groups, to explore together how HIV+/ AIDS supportive your organisation is. An opportunity
to take time out and reflect on your own and your organisation's attitude to HIV+/AIDS
and how they are currently supporting (or not) both their client base and members
who are HIV+/ have AIDS or are supporting someone who is, and to explore ways in
which (if necessary) they can improve support. We can offer at least two sessions
each to six different organisations; these will be made on a first come first served
basis.
We want to try and come up with new and effective ways of educating and looking
after ourselves, and gay community at large. Depending on what has been discovered,
and if appropriate attempt to discover ways to communicate this in such a way as
to create some positive changes to your organisation, so that policies and behaviour
can be modified.
Issues to be addressed: negotiation, self-confidence and sexuality; condom use;
knowledge of sexually transmitted infections; access to HIV and sexual Health services;
access to HIV Testing and knowledge.
Particular targets: sexually active gay men, HIV positive gay men and those they
are involved with; young gay men.
By using a range of traditional health education, creative counselling and theatre/art/creative
writing techniques to explore the strengths and weaknesses of both the individual's
and the organisations response to HIV/AIDS, and knowledge of voluntary organisations,
to identify possible the weaknesses (e.g. clearer and wider health information and
training, identifying possible gaps in the support structure, encouraging individuals
to identify when they need help, support in identifying what they need,) and jointly
finding solutions to build on the strengths of both the organisation and the individuals
involved with it.
This will also have an effect on support structures within the organisations and
hopefully even reviewing and amending policy documents affecting members, volunteers
and staff.
Why offer this project?: In Voluntary Organisations there is often a quick turnover
in volunteers/members, who either feel their needs aren't being met or they burn
out, and depending on the sensitivities of the organisation and their workers/managers.
When someone is HIV/ has AIDS, or is supporting someone who is, this can be more
acute and may affect their health, and certainly their state of mind.
This project has been informed by feedback from previous training work: about how
little many gay men still know about the affects and therefore the implications
of living with AIDS. In addition, the project is informed by personal experience
of working as a volunteer for a voluntary organisation; working along side colleagues
and with clients as a volunteer counsellor in the community and being in the community,
trying to get a feel of how much is understood about HIV/AIDS and being diagnosed
and dealing with HIV/AIDS. Finally, it is informed by being in a relationship with
someone who has AIDS,
The project will be managed by Alastair S. Macmillan, who has been managing organisations
and projects for over twenty years; he is co-director of Krazy Kat Theatre Company,
a trained counsellor and has studied with Augusto Boal, founder of Forum and Legislative
Theatre. He has facilitated a variety of groups of mixed abilities and ages, and
most recently with the support of Brighton and Hove's Anti-Bullying Unit and First
Stop, in Whitehawk, Moulescombe and Hangleton has been delivering an anti-bullying
and Protective Behaviours programme in some of Brighton and Hove's schools. Other
recent work includes working with Brighton and Hove's Domestic Violence Unit and
leading workshops at the Anti-Bullying Conferences for Head-teachers organised by
the Department for Education and Skills.
Additional support will be provided from a team of experienced and professional
facilitators, including Noel Greig (Director, writer, actor) and Kinny Gardner (Director,
artist and performer). Alastair and Kinny have both worked as facilitators and Alastair
as Director for Skyros Holidays, Greece and Co-facilitators at Cortijo Romero, Spain,
both holistic holiday centres for adults.
CONTACT DETAILS: Call 01273 692552; or e-mail
Krazykattheatre@ntl.com
ALASTAIR S. MACMILLAN, Administrative Director