Domestic Abuse Attitudes

posted: 15/11/2010

Domestic abuse harms many people as well as wider society. People living with HIV are affected by domestic violence as much as any other people in society. The Greater Manchester domestic abuse organisation, Independent Choices, wants people’s views about domestic abuse problems and what services are needed.

The survey asks just nine questions and takes just 5 minutes. Join the survey here.
 

Please share the survey

Please circulate this to people you know in Greater Manchester, because they want as many people answering the survey as possible.
 

Findings

The survey results will be published and help develop and support high quality domestic violence support services for Greater Manchester region into 2011.
 

Copies of the finished report will be available by searching their website in January 2011.

Questions?

Questions about the survey to the research student, with the email heading ‘Research’  

 

Want to Have a Say?

posted: 11/10/2010

George House Trust wants four people to join our SMART group to have a say about our services. The deadline for applying is Monday 1 November.

We believe involving people with HIV in our services is really important. As part of our Service User Involvement Strategy, our SMART group, the Service Monitoring and Review Team, is a key way for people to have a real say in our services.

African and gay men wanted especially

SMART is a team of 16 people who use George House Trust services. SMART reports directly to the Board of George House Trust. We want 4 people to join SMART and we particularly want HIV positive African and gay men to apply, as both of these are under-represented on SMART.

SMART group meets every 2 - 3 months. You will be sent copies of papers to read and think about before the meeting. SMART meetings discuss all aspects of our services. SMART agrees a work plan for what we will discuss each year.

What does SMART do?
SMART involves people with HIV who use services to examine how we deliver services and suggests ways to develop and improve services.

Why get involved?
SMART is one way to be more involved in George House Trust and put something back. Involvement informs you about service delivery and developments as well as how we monitor and evaluate services. Becoming involved in SMART builds your skills and experiences.

What skills and experience do I need to join SMART?

Here are the things we expect of people in the SMART:

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and keep our ground rules at all times
• Being committed to service user involvement and providing feedback
• Making the time to read all the papers before the meetings
• Interested in all services George House Trust provides
• Being committed to working together as part of the SMART team
• To broadly support the work of George House Trust

Deadline: applications must be returned to Lynda by Monday 1st November .

SMART application pack

1. Information and what we are looking for
2. SMART Terms of Reference
3. Application form

Information from and applications to Lynda Shentall, Director of Services by email or phone 0161 274 4499 

Body Positive Blackpool Saved

posted: 05/10/2010

Body Positive in Blackpool has been saved by two local councillors who donated £6,500. Body Positive in Blackpool feared it would only survive until next year after it discovered its employee Bianca Campbell had stolen £4,127 using its bank card to buy things for her own botox company, Fresh Face.
Redundancies and cuts

As a result of Campbell's theft and a £15,000 cut in local authority funding, Body Positive Blackpool made two staff redundant and cut its services.  But last week the charity was giving a reprieve after Labour councillors Simon Blackburn and Gary Coleman donated £6,500 to keep the charity running.
Bianca Campbell, who was sacked in March when her theft was discovered, pleaded guilty to fraud at Preston Crown Court.
 

The court heard Campbell used a Body Positive Blackpool bankcard to order products for her own business. Campbell was given a total of six months prison, suspended for a year, with 12 months supervision.
 

Body Positive Blackpool 
 

Source
 

Grub and Gossip Open Space

posted: 04/10/2010

This Tuesday's space is open to everyone with HIV. It is a Grub and Gossip open space as part of the celebrations in Manchester of the older people's Full of Life and Manchester Food and Drink Festivals.

This Grub and Gossip space is on Tuesday 5 October between 12.30pm – 2.30pm - the food will include traditional African tastes. 

• Crèche available for under 5s: please book
• Food provided and transport costs paid

African Space returns as normal on Tuesday 19 October.

More information: please email Siham
or ring her on 0161 274 4499
 

Wales Launches HIV Network

posted: 14/09/2010

The NHS in Wales has launched a new network for HIV that is designed to improve support and services across the country. It’s both for people living with HIV in Wales and for service providers, and offers a 'one-stop' site for all news, events, information, guidance and publications related to living with HIV in Wales. It includes a full Service Directory that aims to list all of the services available to HIV+ people in Wales and a section for professionals.
 

Positive Participation Forums

The network will also support Positive Participation Forums which will be held quarterly across Wales. These forums will provide an opportunity for people living with HIV to channel information, issues and concerns for consideration and response from those working in HIV at a national level. In return, attendees will also learn about the development and delivery of services, strategies and actions relating to HIV in Wales.
 

People Living with HIV in Wales

The section for people living with HIV is here 
 

The All Wales HIV Network - Cyswllt HIV Cymru Gyfan - website