hiv/aids education / awareness

[angelofdreams]

i need your help with this one guys,

in my position as eventsmanager i have over the years spoken to a very large number of students and professionals about events and related, this has always been about topics like emergency management or time management.
most of the lectures i have given have been very succesfull and been repeated over the years,
I have been thinking of putting into that list a similar presentation for schools but about hiv awareness and the dangers of it.

Now, my question is , do you think this is a good idea, yes or no, and why.


angel

[Teresa]

A BIG YES!

We need all the information we can get into the hands of kids in high school. I dont think there is enough information out there period.

I wonder if there would be a problem with the school board?

But i think its a wonderful idea.

Teresa

[Eldon]

Hi Angel it's Eldon. You and I are on the same page when it comes to HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. I see you have a position as an events manager and that is a good thing. You can use your position for a very good cause.

I beleive it is a good idea and you should pursue it wholeheartedly as the population needs more and more people educating the young and the restless I call it. Students are in the need for this educatioin and some one has to take the initiative to educate them.

I wish it was more education on this topic as I was growing up. We need to help our younger generation understand what HIV/AIDS IS and how to prevent it. In fact, I am a advocate for this sort of thing and eventually I want to become a nationwide speaker on the topic.

I'm starting locally then expand as the time goes along. You have the right target in mind, you just have to pursue it. There is a ton of information available to you on the web from CDC to ICASO and more.

As an events manager speak with your parties involved and explain to them what you want to acheive. Just pick up the phone and make that first call and you will be surprised.

In fact, you can get a speaker if you want to in order to split the agenda. I am interested on this topic, keep me posted.

Eldon

[Jeffreyj]

I think it is a great idea. One question though: What schools are you talking about? My gut feeling is the younger the better. Get to them before they have become set in their ways. I'm talking to a group of 80 or so, ages 14-21 in August. It's my first speech. I'll let you know how it goes. Here in the USA the education is woefully inadequate, from what able I've been able to figure out. There is no real coherent policy from out government regarding HIV/AIDS. Bush preaches abstinence, which is a joke, pretty much. I think by telling my story, and sharing with the kids my real life experiences, will help reduce the stigma regarding the hiv/aids issue.I I will tell them that condoms are a MUST with NO exceptions.
I think it is a GREAT  idea. I say go for it!
You may know AZTECAN, A respected member here. He told me that "you touch one kid, you touch dozens".
I wish you the best of luck. I hope you decide to do it. please keep us posted.
All the best,
Jeff

[angelofdreams]

hey Eldon,

thanks for the offer,
only problem is there that i live in london UK and you in sunny USA 
(what is not fair)
i am aiming to start using the same techniek i used when starting doing presentaions about event management to students.
I hope to be able to combine both in the end as equal, then again being the uk i will need loads of help.
here in the schools and outside of them there is not really the exposure in how dangerous hiv is.

xxx
hugo

Hi Angel it's Eldon. You and I are on the same page when it comes to HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. I see you have a position as an events manager and that is a good thing. You can use your position for a very good cause.

I beleive it is a good idea and you should pursue it wholeheartedly as the population needs more and more people educating the young and the restless I call it. Students are in the need for this educatioin and some one has to take the initiative to educate them.

I wish it was more education on this topic as I was growing up. We need to help our younger generation understand what HIV/AIDS IS and how to prevent it. In fact, I am a advocate for this sort of thing and eventually I want to become a nationwide speaker on the topic.

I'm starting locally then expand as the time goes along. You have the right target in mind, you just have to pursue it. There is a ton of information available to you on the web from CDC to ICASO and more.

As an events manager speak with your parties involved and explain to them what you want to acheive. Just pick up the phone and make that first call and you will be surprised.

In fact, you can get a speaker if you want to in order to split the agenda. I am interested on this topic, keep me posted.

Eldon

[gemini20]

Absolutely a good idea - go for it!

I decided back in 2002 to set up my own HIV education consultancy - 'Positive Voice' here in the UK. I sent letters to 200 schools initially offering them the opportunity to have a positive woman speak to their students. Normally cold calling doesn't result in much take-up but I got over 30 bookings from that first mail-out.

Since then I have continued to increase my work load and now visit between 80-100 schools per academic year, probably reaching about 10,000 students. Most schools now book me a year in advance so I guess I deliver what they want!

I talk to any age group from 11-18, obviously slightly differing delivery depending on the age of students I'm talking to but the bottom line is being honest, straight-talking and answering any/every question that I ask.

Best of luck if you do decide to offer this to schools - I'd be happy to share any more info if you want it.

Emma

[angelofdreams]

Hi emma,

many thanks for the reply, greatly appreciated.
In my line of work i have never done anything the conventional way, i always went one step further, shocking very often in what i did but much more being effectve and being noticed by my clients.
my idea of speaking to people and specially to students is not the lecture they get from their teachers but i want them to know and feel how it feels to find out what it means if someone tells you that you have HIV.
i want to experience the emotions while at the same time understand they grave dangers that the hiv virus carries.
I know i might go that step to far in doing so, but i do know how effective it is.
i learned so much in life by feeling things.

I do think that we both have the same drive and idea's behind what we want to do, and that is helping these kids understand how precious life can be, that they have only 1 of them and that they should take care of it,

My idea on putting this post on the forum was to see what people were thinking about this, and find out from fellow carriers what they would want to see happen.

xxx
hugo

[dyingYOUNG19]

in the Philippines, there is no serious campaign on HIV/AIDS Awareness especially for the youth...

I am 19 years old diagnosed this April of having HIV in my country. As part of the youth sector, I am having my campaign now by telling people and youth at risk that HIV is real in the Philippines and is spreading quitely...

My story was published in a newspaper last month and I am happy with the impact...I also conduct lectures and awareness in gay/bisexual Filipino websites...

I hope that I could help my country in my own little way...

I also pray that the Church will give respect to the Department of Education for their plan to include HIV/AIDS for High School Curriculum...

I really think that teaching Sex Education in school is not about being immoral but rather it's way of educating the youth and the public and through this way, they will be given informed choices with regards to their sexual health...

God bless Philippines...God bless World!

____________________________________
There are two greatest days in your life:
the day you were born
and the day you knew why

[megasept]

Just wishing you success in life, along with all the other international POZs on this Site. It doesn't seem like there is just one story about living with HIV as Filipinos. Some good news with the bad (of course). Bless you (I am not religious). 

[Maestro]

As I High School teacher, I can give you some insight in to this.

First of all, you will meet A LOT of resistance doing anything that has do with sex (yes, I know it can transmitted other ways) to middle school and elementary school.

As far as high school is concerned, it is a county by county decision.  You will need to clear this with a lot of people downtown, not just the local principal. 

Most schools cover HIV related topics in the health class.  MANY health classes are taught by P.E. coaches who are not up to date.  As a Biology teacher, I have always devoted a week or so to HIV when we cover Kingdom Monera.  It is not on the official cirriculum, but I do it anyways.

M

[nursepoz24]

im a nurse too. i knew my status a month agp. keep in touch. i want to learn how to deal with d virus.