Exciting new volunteering opportunity for African people!

posted: 29/11/2011

Building on the success of the last year, George House Trust is looking for enthusiastic, committed and reliable people from African communities who are living with HIV, to join our team of African Support Volunteers.

African Peer Support is the perfect volunteering opportunity for anyone who feels that they have wisdom to share, or if you are looking to gain voluntary experience of working in the health and social care sector. In fact, many of our previous volunteers have now gone on to paid work or vocational training as a result of their developing their experience through volunteering here at George House Trust.

You will receive full training to enable you to provide one-to-one support to other African people who are living with HIV through things like:
• sharing your own experiences to help other individuals
• providing basic information about HIV
• offering emotional support

By volunteering on this project, you could help change someone’s life for the better. That is because nobody understands what it is like to be an African person living with HIV more than you.
To apply for this role, fill in this simple application form and return it to George House Trust by Tuesday 13th December, 2011.

Successful candidates will be invited for a volunteer interview on either 17th or 18th January, 2012 and those chosen at interview will be invited to induction sessions on 30th January, 3rd February and 6th February, 2012

For further information contact Susie

Please read a copy of the volunteer role description here

You can apply online here for the role or you can download copies of the application fom
 

Launch of African Men's Calabash Space

posted: 13/10/2011

George House Trust has received funding to develop it's work with African men with African Men's Adviser Mike Mpofu leading on this exciting work.

Mike would like to invite Positive African men who are known to GHT to a group meeting on Saturday 19th November at George House Trust - the meeting is from 12.30 pm until 3 p.m. There'll be African food and music.

It is really important that for positive African Men to come along, so that they can let Mike know what you want from services at George House Trust.

For further details, contact mike@ght.org.uk or ring him on 0161 274 5662.

Food will be served and we will reimburse your travelling expenses

African Film Against Stigma

posted: 11/05/2011

No Blame, No Shame is an epic new HIV health promotion film from the African Health Policy Network (AHPN). The film tackles the taboos and stigma surrounding HIV infection in UK’s African community. No Blame, No Shame features top comedian Gina Yashere, alongside HIV positive UK Africans, in a film made by Angus Malcolm.
 

No Stigma in living with HIV

No Blame, No Shame is an online video that is also available as a DVD, promoting the African Health Policy Network’s Public Faces  campaign, that there is no stigma in living with HIV and that stigmatising attitudes only help spread HIV.
 

Watch No Blame, No Shame here
 

Eunice Sinyemu, Head of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive at AHPN says “We have to challenge the stigma around HIV in the UK's African communities. It stops individuals from getting tested, which means they don’t get the treatment they need, and are more likely to infect others. With Gina’s help, we are confident we can get this message across in a colourful, punchy and accessible way.”
“Gina is much-loved in the African community, and having a big name on board is really going to help us reach our audience.”

Wide distribution

AHPN is promoting the film to reach as many people in the African community as possible, including viral marketing and distribution on DVD, use in training for a wide range of specialists and professionals, faith leaders and communities, local and national policy makers, workers in the health and social care sectors, local and national media.

Read about the comedian Gina Yashere

The film was made by Angus Malcolm, writer and producer. With a background in healthcare, including several years in the AIDS Unit at the Department of Health, Angus specialises in producing low-cost media for the statutory and not-for-profit sectors, especially education and healthcare.

No Blame, No Shame
 

HIV and Africans in the UK

posted: 11/05/2011

HIV & UK African Communities is a brand new guide to the key issues affecting black African communities in the UK. It contains personal stories and a directory of services as well as sections dealing with the key issues.

Produced by NAM it is available free online or as a book for just under £25.
 

It covers the key topics

• facts and figures about black Africans living in the UK
• about HIV among Africans here
• the needs of Africans living with HIV
• mental health
• faith
• stigma and discrimination
• telling others
• HIV prevention, testing, diagnosis and treatment
• women
• men
• men who have sex with men
• children and families
• young people
• carers
• older adults
• gender-based violence
• rights to healthcare
• immigration and asylum
• prosecutions.

HIV & UK African Communities: the key issues
 

Better TB Awareness

posted: 04/05/2011

People living with HIV have a higher risk of getting TB (tuberculosis) and there is now a rapid rise in the number of people getting TB in this country.

When people have HIV, TB is harder to diagnose, develops faster and, if it is not diagnosed or treated properly, people are more likely to die. But TB can be cured with a course of antibiotics. There were over 9000 new cases of TB in 2009 in the UK – more than the number of new HIV cases.

Know the risks and what to do

People with HIV need to understand the risks of getting TB and the need for early diagnosis and treatment. However many people don’t realise the risks and the stigma linked with both HIV and TB means people often put off seeking help.

TB Alert has joined with the African Health Policy Network (AHPN) to raise awareness of TB among people with HIV, particularly in the UK's African community, which is the most affected.

There’s a new leaflet for people with HIV which explains TB, what it is, how it is passed on, the risk factors, common symptoms and the relationship between TB and HIV. The leaflet tells people what to do if they are concerned about TB or HIV, and provides a full list of sources of advice and information.

TB Alert's The Truth About TB programme has lots of other resources. The TB programme brings together primary care trusts (PCTs), local authorities and the community sector to work together and raise TB awareness among the most vulnerable communities.

About TB
TB is caused by bacteria transmitted through the air when someone with TB in the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. TB is quite hard to catch and pass on - you have to be in close contact with someone for many hours.
 

TB can affect any part of the body. Symptoms depend on which part of the body is affected, but the most common are:

• a cough lasting more than three weeks
• unexplained weight loss
• loss of appetite
• fever
• night sweats
• extreme tiredness.
   

Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor.

TB is curable with a course of antibiotics and all TB treatment is always free for everyone living in the UK.
 

TB Alert website 

This includes guidance and posters, including for asylum seekers, homeless people, drug users and people in prison, as well as videos.