Today Fast-Track Cities London is launching a fund to tackle the internalised stigma experienced by people living with HIV.
Despite all the advances in clinical care, we know that for people living with HIV, life can be difficult because of stigma and discrimination. HIV stigma is often based on outdated ideas and made worse by discrimination in other areas like gender, sexuality or race.
We know that in order to get us to zero new cases of HIV, zero preventable deaths and 100 per cent of people living well, we must fight stigma and discrimination.
A fund to tackle internalised stigma:
The fund consists of 6 contracts of £50,000 each for one year, to deliver an empowerment programme that will look to tackle internalised stigma.
The empowerment programme was developed by a group of experts from 8 different community and voluntary organisations. The group developed the empowerment programme based on previous knowledge and experience of tackling internal stigma, plus learning from previous programmes, training and campaigns.
The winning projects need to make sure that people completing the empowerment programme have:
- developed a support network
- understood the causes of internalised stigma
- understood what HIV is, U=U and living well with HIV
- built self-acceptance, self-esteem and an individual sense of power
- developed skills including self-advocacy, public advocacy and ambassador skills
All organisations would be expected to take part in a community of practice to create a network of HIV ambassadors.
The plans to tackle HIV stigma and discrimination in the capital were developed with over 100 people and organisations in late 2019 and early 2020. The plans aim to tackle HIV in healthcare and frontline services and in wider society, as well as internalised stigma.
The fund is open to organisations who:
- Have a presence and services in London
- Have experience of tackling stigma and empowering people living with HIV
- Are working with communities affected by internalised or self- stigma
- Are willing to deliver the empowerment programme, and it’s outcomes, for people living with HIV
- Are willing to evaluate the outcomes of the programme
The winning bidders will be provided with a ‘starter-pack’ of documents. However, any additional engagement activities to shape content and design will need to be organised and facilitated by the winning bidders.
Read the full Empowerment Programme Framework. It has further details on each of the outcomes for people living with HIV, templates and case studies.
To apply to the fund and find out more visit the Contract Finder website.
Webinar
Join the webinar to find out more about the Empowerment Programme Framework and the fund on Monday 18 October, 12pm-1pm. Sign up on our eventbrite page.
Read more about London’s stigma plans here.
For more information email hlp.londonftci@nhs.net.