Living Positive Victoria: leading an ever-diversifying safe and culturally informed HIV response
In the evolution of Living Positive Victoria’s (LPV) HIV response and mission to support cultural inclusion and diversity, LPV has launched a suite of HIV FACTS resources published in eight languages: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese.
HIV FACTS is a series of information booklets that cover topics such as:
- What is HIV?
- Treatment
- Navigating the health system
- Monitoring your health
- Treatment without Medicare, and
- HIV Prevention
These translated resources were the culmination of a period of engagement with positive community members over the last year, whom contributed their language skills and lived experience to ensure that the final resources are accurate, meaningful and free from stigma.
In the last financial year 60% of all new referrals into LPV’s peer navigation program have come from folks who were born overseas. The creation of these in- language resources will mean a step further in the evolution of Living Positive Victoria’s mission to support cultural inclusion and diversity in the local HIV
response.
CEO of LPV, Richard Keane says, “LPV supports the bold targets our community led response has set for us in reaching virtual elimination of HIV by 2030, but part of reaching these goals will be engaging people from the ever-diversifying cultural backgrounds we connect with in safe and culturally informed ways, including the development of in-language resources. “
“In my time in leadership roles at living Positive Victoria I have been privileged to participate in the evolution of our local response. From an organisation that reflected the needs of men who have sex with men to a diverse and all-encompassing organisation that continues to strive to better understand the complex intersectional issues impacting our community and engages all populations, identities all cultures and leads the way in redefining a HIV response that was largely built for a previous century.”
The launch at the Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre in Carlton, saw contributors to these resources coming together with LPV staff, representatives from grant partner Viiv Healthcare and community members. Topped off with a performance by Colombian singer Mikkel, who sang a beautiful cover of Latch by queer artist Sam Smith and UK duo, Disclosure, emblematic of the theme for the night.
Picture (L to R): Ann Maccarrone M Pharm, Community Engagement and Partnerships Manager, Viiv Healthcare, Beau Newham, Community Development Officer, LPV, Richard Keane, CEO, LPV, Sara Graham, Peer Support Manager, LPV, Mikkel, Singer
This project is made possible with the support of the ViiV Healthcare community grants program.