Thanks & farewell to Rob Lake

Next week we bid a fond farewell to our Executive Director Rob Lake, who is leaving AFAO after five wonderful years.

Rob has led the organisation through some exciting and challenging times, including AIDS 2014, changes to antiretroviral prescribing, the expanding evidence and advocacy surrounding PrEP and treatment as prevention, and changes to international and domestic HIV funding arrangements.

We wish Rob well for his next adventure; with much appreciation for the many unique qualities he brought to his role, including his unwavering dedication to the communities most affected by HIV, his passion for his work and support for his staff, his broad vision, and his skill at maintaining effective working relationships across the entire HIV partnership.

Rob’s farewell takes place tonight, 2 March, at the Imperial Hotel.
 

Welcome to Darryl

We’re pleased to welcome Darryl O’Donnell, who starts work as AFAO’s new Executive Director on 8 March. Darryl has over 25 years' experience in HIV across community, research and government settings and he’s looking forward to taking on this new role.

'There's an enormous amount to be done to do justice to our communities' efforts to end HIV. AFAO has been representing our communities and their organisations for 30-years. I'm delighted to be stepping into this role and to be contributing to AFAO's proud history,' he says.

Darryl will be ED until the end December 2016, when a national and international Executive recruitment will take place.

Read more …
 

The AFAO National Gay Men's HIV Health Promotion Conference and related events will be held 18-21 April 2016 in Sydney.

The theme for this year’s conference is: New Challenges, Big Ideas.

Have you registered and submitted your abstract?

Abstracts close 9 March and the early bird discount ends 12 March. 

Find out more and register
 

At the end of January, AFAO submitted its proposal to the Global Fund to fight HIV, TB and Malaria (GFATM). AFAO is lead partner in a consortium with APCOM and APCASO.

The two year project aims to support community advocates in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia to work with their governments to access domestic resources for affected community civil society organisations.

We expect an initial decision early in 2016, after which contracts will be developed for the Bangkok based project to begin late in 2016.

In early 2016 we published a booklet to accompany our new website, Living Well: Women with HIV.

The booklet, which addresses a wide range of health and wellbeing issues, was specifically printed for positive women who are either not confident in navigating the world wide web, or do not have easy access to computers or the internet.

Limited stock of the booklet is available from your local PLHIV organisations or AIDS Councils.

More info …
 

In AFAO and NAPWHA’s joint submission to the inquiry into The Future of Australia’s Aged Care Sector Workforce, we call for training regarding the complexities relevant to treating particular chronic/complex conditions.

We also highlight the need for professional development in relation to stigma and discrimination issues faced by people with HIV, including stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation, ethnicity and race, and/or injecting drug use – taking into account that HIV is in and of itself an infectious and still stigmatised condition.

Download the submission

'Get PEP' is a new nation-wide campaign that aims to increase gay men's knowledge, use and awareness of PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis).

PEP is a month-long course of HIV treatments that can prevent a person becoming infected with HIV after a recent exposure.

The new website, www.getpep.info provides information about how PEP works, tips for people using it, and where it’s available.

More info …