Support
http://www.thehivsupportcentre.org.uk/
http://youarenowcovered.org/hiv
http://www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/Links/hivaids.htm
http://www.ulearnni.org/courses/lifelong_learning/hiv_sexual_health_work...
http://www.tearfund.org/Volunteering/Regions/Rural+Northern+Ireland.htm
http://www.stampoutstigma.ie/hiv/facts.html
http://www.hscni.net/
News
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dhssps/news-dhssps-november-...
http://www.nat.org.uk/News-and-Media/Press-Releases/2008/December/Northe...
http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/considerable-rise-in-hi...
http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary/stories/2004/livingwithhiv.htm?id...
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9784.html
http://www.equalityni.org/sections/default.asp?cms=news_press+releases&c...
http://www.oxfamireland.org/whatwedo/longterm/programmes/hiv-aids.shtml
http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/health/2007mandate/moe/080424_sexualhealth.htm
Statics and Figures
http://www.cdscni.org.uk/publications/AnnualReports/pdf/HIVSTIinNorthern...
http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1204186174726
http://www.unaids.org/en/CountryResponses/Countries/united_kingdom_of_gr...
http://www.nat.org.uk/HIV-Facts/Statistics/Latest-UK-Statistics/What-abo...
http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1203064766492
http://www.chiva.org.uk/protocols/NSHPC.html
Legistation
http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/nisi/1987/cnisi_19871...
PDF version Targeted at: Health and social care professionals, youthworkers
Duration: Evening event
This event is run by the HIV Support Centre and supported by UNISON.
Sadly, there has been a considerable rise in the number of HIV and AIDS cases in Northern Ireland over the past number of years and it is believed that cases have been underestimated by about a third.
The HIV Support Centre is very keen to develop its work in the WHSSB area and at the same time raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and the services that are currently available to people in this area.
The HIV Support Centre would like to take this opportunity to invite you and your colleagues to come along for an Information Evening on HIV and Sexual Health in Northern Ireland and to hear of the work of The HIV Support Centre in Northern Ireland generally and in particular within the WHSSB area.
We have engaged a number of speakers for the evening from the voluntary and statutory sectors who currently work in the field of HIV and Sexual Health.
If you have a professional or personal interest in, or concern about any aspect of HIV/Sexual Health, or would simply like to find out more about our work, I would encourage you to attend this highly informative and interesting evening.
Date 7.30 - 9.30pm Tuesday 31st March, 2009
Location UNISON, Clarendon St., Derry
Date 10am – 1pm, Tues 10 Nov 2009
Location UNISON Belfast
Date 6.30 – 8.30pm Thurs. 26 November 2009
Location UNISON Belfast
For information on the course, Fidelma Carolan f.carolan@unison.co.uk 028 90270190
To register your interest contact Anne Campbell, a.campbell2@unison.co.uk or download an application form here or
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The overall aim of NCB’s work in Northern Ireland is to enhance outcomes for children and young people in Northern Ireland, through support to children and young people and to those who work with or for them.
NCB NI currently employs 7 staff. Celine McStravick , NCBNI Director has overall responsibility for all NCB NI work and staff. There is an Office Manager, a Senior Research and Development Officer, a team of 3 - Senior Researcher, Researcher and Research Administrator - who work on the Making It Work Evaluation and a Participation Officer who works directly with young people and is currently developing Young NCB in Northern Ireland.
Our work programme includes practice development, direct participation work with children and young people, research and evaluation projects, as well as dissemination activity through publications, resources and events all aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people.
In carrying out its work, NCB NI seeks to works in partnership with others and to ascertain and present the views of children and young people. We are members of several fora concerned with children’s issues and actively engage with the NI Assembly in the interests of children and young people.
NCB NI has a growing list of resources relevant to Northern Ireland and has organised several events on important topics as diverse as:
- asylum-seeking, refugee and migrant children
- children’s involvement in bullying policies;
- 5 Nations Play Policy Summit;
- emotional health and young people;
- childhood bereavement;
- children living with HIV;
- managing challenging situations in children’s residential care.
Participation work
The aim of our participation work is to explore and record the views of children and young people in Northern Ireland, especially marginalised children, and to ensure these are heard and taken into account.
Our experience suggests that through good participation experiences children and young people gain confidence, are empowered to become more actively involved in matters that affect them, build more positive relationships with the adults with whom they engage and are better prepared to make the transition to adulthood. In our participation work we aim to move beyond message into dialogue, where children are routinely involved in decision-making alongside adults.
NCB NI is funded from a range of different sources including NCB Development Fund, Government departments, charitable trusts, H&SS Boards and children’s sector agencies.
NCB NI is based in central Belfast at:
Albany House,
73-75 Great Victoria Street,
Belfast
BT2 7AF
Telephone: 028 9089 1730
Email: ncbni@ncb.org.uk
More from NCB
Northern Ireland projects
Northern Ireland resources
http://partner.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?originx2065mt_8418760280166q87v493478...
By September 2002 in Ireland and the UK 56,613 people were diagnosed HIV positive. It is estimated a further 18,000 people are living with the disease as yet undiagnosed. Yet these figures are small in comparison to the three million people globally who died of AIDS in 2003 or the estimated 40 million people living with the disease. December 1st is World AIDS Day. John Monaghan 18 and Daniel McCrisken 14, young Children's Express reporters, examine the global problem through the eyes of a local woman who has been living with HIV for nine years.
Deirdre (not her real name) from Belfast was infected with HIV in 1996 whilst living in Zimbabwe. It was after her partner became ill that she tested HIV positive. Her partner had TB and died from AIDS in June 1997. Deirdre has since returned home to Northern Ireland and now works for an international development agency.
"A solid glass wall seemed to have been erected between me and the rest of the world. I could not think clearly about my future. How could I have relationships? Would I ever have children? How long would it be before I got sick?''
To add to the complications Deirdre was pregnant.
''When I became pregnant it was not planned and that in itself was a bit scary for everybody. I don't think I realised how scared I had been about the possibility of passing on the infection until my daughter was cleared. I felt such a relief that she didn't have it!''
Having her child gave Deirdre new motivation.
''Yes, certainly the cliché 'something to live for' rang true. There had been times in the past when I had felt suicidal, because the future was filled with uncertainty.''
Deirdre says that the support network for those suffering from HIV or AIDS here in Northern Ireland has improved greatly.
''I have to say that there is support. It is a tricky situation in that how do you organise when confidentiality is such a big issue and people don't maybe want to come into a peer support group and meet people face to face because we know we'll bump into each other in the street, in other social settings - how will we keep secrets there? The sort of medical support at the clinic is great and there is a host of doctors, nurses, specialists and social workers who take you into their fold and look after you. However, the improvement in life expectancy needs to be set against rising rates of infections. There is a great pressure on the services that are available so it can take longer to see a doctor.''
This contrasts greatly with parts of the developing world in which support is almost non-existent. Deirdre believes that a much weaker infrastructure in poorer countries means the problem is far harder to tackle. In Zimbabwe alone there are 1.8 million people infected with HIV (17% of the population) and as Deirdre explains, for the majority a HIV diagnosis is effectively a death sentence.
''The reason for shorter life expectancy is poverty, lack of access to food and lack of access to doctors. Living with HIV without access to proper support is terrifying. You can start to contemplate telling people about it if you live in the UK and you're not telling somebody that you're going to die. You can contemplate thinking about it yourself without panic when you know that this isn't actually a complete death sentence. However, it's a completely different kettle of fish in the developing world if you realise you need to depend on your family, who have very little to begin with, that you are going to get ill and will need their financial, physical and emotional support."
Deirdre stated that many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are still struggling to implement effective public education programmes designed to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
''An increasing number of youth led peer education initiatives are getting clear, relevant honest messages across, but there are those who preach a more moral message. This can fuel some of the stigma that people living with HIV and AIDS suffer. At the end of the day once someone has HIV how they became infected becomes irrelevant. Somebody said to me in Zimbabwe, 'if a dangerous snake comes into your hut you don't ask it where it came from, you batter it and get it out'. This is really what we need to look at. How can we beat this virus?''
Deirdre says that we cannot leave the problem to Africa to deal with.
''Many countries are chronically under-resourced. When I lived in Zimbabwe I felt there were efforts being put into the prevention message and palliative care, but often not enough support for people living with the virus."
As a mother, Deirdre is particularly concerned with issues affecting children.
''This lack of support makes the burden on families immense - and sadly this burden is too often carried by children. Orphaned young children are increasingly heading households, caring for sick relatives.''
Deirdre tried to explain how hard it is for someone living with HIV in the developing world.
"One of the reasons my partner became very ill was because he didn't get his proper TB drugs. It would have meant going back to his family and asking for more money. He felt a big enough burden already. If he had, as we have here, disability living allowance, or sickness benefit and housing benefit, plus free access to the doctor, it would have been very different. There was no sort of part-time work or the kinds of opportunities that maybe here to ease somebody back after a long period of illness. He simply did not know how he could ever look after himself. The wider network of support wasn't there and I think that was terrifying. I mean, how do you survive in a society like that unless you are strong, and you have your full strength?''
According to Deirdre ignorance and fear are critical issues that need to be challenged worldwide if better treatment is to become available.
''There's a general issue per se across the world, it's not just in developing countries, on talking about the death of young adults. The sheer fear of how untreatable and serious it is makes people not talk about it. People say that I'm brave to say I've got HIV - why? It still is such a stigma to have a disease that you've contracted - why? We need to deal with this stigma. It creates isolation. One of the major issues is that the majority of children who have the virus were infected at birth and have lived their whole lives with the virus and the stigma. Those are all issues that make it difficult to talk about HIV-AIDS in any society.''
Asked what urgent action is needed to tackle HIV-AIDS globally Deirdre said,
''It's drug companies in terms of making the drugs accessible at cheaper rates. Governments in developing countries need to make the commitment to basic health services beyond defence spending and beyond debt repayments. In the G8 it's about making debt cancellation a priority and liberating countries from poverty.''
So how can readers help on World AIDS Day? Deirdre believes getting involved could not be easier.
''Stick on a red ribbon; show a bit of solidarity; find out more; lobby! It is going to help somebody somewhere. You don't know who is going to see your ribbon.''
For further information read the HIV-AIDS factfile
http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary/stories/2004/livingwithhiv.htm?id...