Community education services
The Community Development Unit has a primary focus on preventing HIV transmission in the ACT community. We provide a range of information, education, training and health promotion interventions, which support the first goal of the 5th National HIV/AIDS Strategy: 'to eliminate the transmission of HIV'. We also link with other community agencies to ensure effective HIV education messages and campaigns are being delivered to the community.
Community Education is important because:
- It can accurately inform people who are becoming sexually active, or who participate in risk taking behaviours. These people need to be supported in making healthy choices.
- It can reduce peer group pressure, and misinformation within a peer setting that can contribute to unsafe practices that can spread HIV.
- HIV and AIDS are often seen as remote issues, because of the media focus on the global AIDS epidemic. Education can remind us of the reality is that HIV infections still occur in the Canberra community.
- A perception of effective HIV treatments has contributed to a sense of complacency in sexual practices, which can be modified by accurate education.
- It can reduce the levels of discrimination in the community by raising awareness of the issues faced by people who live with HIV and AIDS.
Our services include:
- Facilitated education sessions for schools, other educational institutions, and occupational groups.
- Community development workshops for specific groups.
- A telephone information, referral and support service.
- Promotional stalls at public events.
- A resource library which is open to the public during business hours.
- Development and distribution of safe sex information resources, printed and electronic educational resources about HIV and AIDS related issues, and safe sex condom packs.
- Enquiries on issues related to HIV and AIDS can be directed to staff of the education unit for information and referral, during business hours.
Benefits for your organisation:
- Up-to-date information resources that can enhance your organisation's best practice response to these issues.
- Affordable staff development opportunities.
Bookings and costs:
- Educational Sessions are provided free of charge to not for profit organisations and the community sector.
- Sessions are charged at $75.00 per hour (inc. GST) to profit-making organisations and those organisations for which education represents core business (eg a tertiary institution whose students are paying to do a course that has an HIV education component). This cost includes provision of handouts and other printed resources.
- Printed resources are usually free. Limits on quantity may apply depending on our stock levels.
- We provide a number of free safe sex packs for organisations and community groups. Safe sex packs contain condom, lubricant and printed safe sex information.
- To book the services of of one of our trained HIV/AIDS educators, please contact the Community Development Unit.
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