Andrea's blog

Victoria – Participants of AIDS Vancouver Island and the Victoria Native Friendship Center’s Positive Health Project will be heading to the Cowichan Valley on a retreat this weekend (May 12-13, 2007), thanks to funding from MAC Cosmetics’ AIDS Fund.

“The majority of the participants are low income and as a result don’t get the chance to leave the city limits and to engage in recreational and self care activities; they view them as unattainable luxuries,” said Erica Williamson, co-cordinator of the program. “This retreat gives them the opportunity to be social with other people who are living with HIV and hepatitis C.”

The Positive Health Project was developed to increase the knowledge and skills of HIV and hepatitis C positive women and men and to increase the public’s awareness of what it means to live with HIV and/or hepatitis C. Principal funding for the project comes from the United Way of Victoria and the Vancouver Island Health Authority; additional funds from the MAC AIDS Fund have made it possible for the group to hold the Wellness Retreat.

Have you volunteered or worked on "development programs" or do you want to?

AVI (AIDS Vancouver Island) would like to invite you to a networking gathering where you can share your international and/or intercultural experiences with others who have done the same or come to learn from others if you hope to work or volunteer overseas! This is a casul get-together - a chance to grab a coffee and chat with others about connecting local and global "development" issues.

Wednesday April 18th
from 5:30 to 7:30

at the Moka House on Fisgard Street!
( NOT THE COOK ST LOCATION!!)

Please bring yourself, your friends, and any experiences or projects you want to share. We hope to see you there for a great night!

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Ashley Heaslip at

ashley.heaslip(at)gmail.com

Miki Hansen (left) and Tomoko Okada (right) at award ceremony.

AIDS Vancouver Island Executive Director Miki Hansen is the recipient of the inaugural Alayne Hamilton Community Social Worker Award. Hansen received the award in recognition of her passion for social work education, inspirational organizational leadership, and continued contributions to the legacy of social justice symbolized by Alayne Hamilton’s remarkable career.

The University of Victoria’s School of Social Work presented the award at a ceremony on March 28. The award is named in honour of the late founder of the Family Violence Project, the BC Violence against Women in Relationship Committee and the Ending Relationship Abuse Society of BC. Hamilton died in August 2006.

“This award is our way of thanking Alayne for her passionate contributions to social work education and her commitment to social justice,” says Barb Whittington, award committee member and professor in the School of Social Work.

The 6th Annual AccolAIDS Awards Gala is coming soon. Nominate your hero today!

The AccolAIDS Awards honour the extraordinary achievements and dedication of organizations, businesses, groups and individuals responding to the AIDS epidemic in British Columbia, and the thousands of people living in BC who are affected.

Join us for gourmet cuisine, live entertainment, silent and live auctions on Sunday, April 22nd at the Pan Pacific Vancouver from 6pm -10pm.

Proceeds benefit the vital programs and services provided by the BC Persons With AIDS Society.

AccolAIDS is made possible through the generous support of sponsors and donors, and our gratitude for their support is shared by over 4,300 HIV-positive members of the BC Persons With AIDS Society.

For more information, call 604.893.2282 go to BCPWA's website or email accolaids@bcpwa.org

Victoria - AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI), Victoria’s principal needle exchange service provider, has announced it is seeking another location to provide its critical services to its clients.

“AVI and its community partners recognize the present location of the needle exchange is no longer appropriate,” said Marilyn Callahan, board chair of AIDS Vancouver Island. “AVI is currently working with community groups to develop strategies to move the exchange to a non-residential location where services can be increased to address Victoria’s substance use crisis while minimizing impacts on the local community.”

Several sectors of the community — including the City of Victoria, the Victoria Police, neighbourhood stakeholders, leaders of the Victoria business community, and partnering service providers — have held meetings to develop a plan for the move of the city’s primary needle exchange.

Although a new location has not yet been chosen, AVI’s board and management have determined that the program will require the addition of specialized staff and additional annual funding supports from various levels of government and from the private sector in order to sustain the program in a stand-alone location.

You are invited to participate in a Positive Women’s Advisory Committee.

This committee is being formed to serve as an advisory council by request of the Positive Women’s Network (PWN) and the Oaktree clinic to generate ideas for programming and funding. This is an opportunity to discuss and take action on the issues affecting us as positive women.

We would also like to reach other AIDS Service Organizations (ASO) that the women of B.C. access for treatment and support. We have some unique organizations in British Columbia that are dedicated to improving and empowering the lives of HIV positive women. How can these organizations be more effective in meeting your needs?

We are a diverse community and would like this group to be inclusive of all women living with HIV/AIDS. Every voice is valuable.

All meetings will be confidential.
Some meetings may take place by teleconference.

If you are interested or would like more information about The Positive Women’s Advisory Committee please call or e-mail PWN.

Victoria's Downtown Services Providers Committee released the following press release on January 29, 2007. _____________________________________________________________

Funding cut threatens HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C services in Victoria and Southern Vancouver Island

Victoria – On 11 January, the Vancouver Island Health Authority announced a 37.5% funding cut for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C programming in the southern Vancouver Island region. In response, the Victoria Downtown Service Providers Committee (DSPC) has convened emergency meetings to discuss the proposed cuts and the urgent effort required by Victoria to stop it.

“Victorians know how hard those of us on the front lines are working to address HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and the complex health and social issues that are both their cause and their result,” said Rev. Al Tysick of Our Place and chair of the DSPC. “Victorians also know that our fair city is putting out fires with respect to the overall health of our community. So how does our city feel about a 37.5% funding cut? Everyone concerned should be outraged,” said Tysick, “and who should be concerned? All 350,000 of us.”

In February, Miki Hansen of AIDS Vancouver Island and Heather Ferris, Consultant, are travelling from Vancouver Island, BC, in Canada to the Eastern Cape of South Africa to provide training and support for women who are concerned with the needs of many orphaned children. These women will be trained to run culturally sensitive, age appropriate bereavement support groups for children to build resilience and educate about HIV/AIDS. Daphne Armstrong will join the project team for a few weeks as a volunteer.

Check out Miki's blog at: http://aviinsouthafrica.blogspot.com/

World AIDS Day activities on Vancouver Island:
“Change the world, one action at a time.”

Victoria -- Catherine Bell, a Vancouver Island MP, has urged her constituents and the federal Conservatives to observe World AIDS Day’s theme – “Change the World – One Action at a Time.”

“AIDS now constitutes a global health emergency,” said Bell. Together with NDP colleagues, Bell has urged the federal government to address the global AIDS crisis through four steps:

• Committing to a timetable to bring Canada's official development assistance to 0.7% of GDP, which will provide life-saving funds to the least developed countries in the world;

• Investing in the public health systems in developing nations to better respond to the HIV pandemic;

• Cancel the debts of developing nations burdened by AIDS; and

• Follow through on a three-year old government commitment to allow cheaper, generic drugs to be produced in Canada for use here and abroad.

A special thanks to www.spikephoto.ca for donating the following photographs.

AVI staff member, Gill, returning from decorating the walk route with balloons.

AVI volunteer, Don, handing out balloons to walk participants.

A crowd gathers at Centennial Square.

Karen from VARCS welcomes everyone to the 2006 AIDS Walk.

James from AIDS Vancouver Island addresses the crowd.