Peer-to-Peer Mentoring and Case Management Training Project for HIV-Positive People

Duration : 6 months / planned to start in the first half of 2023

Budget : 107,970 TL

Sponsor : Award-winning project from Gilead Sciences / Ideas That Come to Life Support Program

Purpose and Target and Method:

With the project, which was carried out between 20 January - 27 March 2023; it was aimed to meet the peer counselling needs of people newly diagnosed with HIV, to normalize their lives with HIV and to increase their capacity regarding all aspects of HIV. At the end of the study, it was aimed to raise people who are at peace with their HIV status, who become role models for their peers, and who can provide peer counselling and case follow-up.

In Turkey, 2 training sessions were held for 1 day each in İzmir and Ankara, the 2 cities where the HIV epidemic is most commonly seen after Istanbul. During the project, it was aimed that 40 HIV-positive people would benefit from these training sessions. People whom we were in contact with from other cities and who wanted to be peer counsellors were also included in these trainings.

The educator team was composed of experts who have been working in the field of HIV for many years and have particular experience. Training modules were designed in the context of HIV regarding the medical, legal and other social dimensions of HIV and to be interactive so that people living with HIV can easily ask their questions. Thus, participants were provided with the opportunity to both learn and share their own experiences.

In addition, during the training, the principles of peer counselling and communication techniques were conveyed to HIV-positive people. Through this, it was aimed that the participants both have multi-dimensional knowledge about the infection itself and be ready to provide peer counselling and case management.

Outputs: Due to the earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on Monday, 6 February 2023, which affected 11 cities, there were those who had to cancel their applications.

Although it was aimed to provide training to 40 HIV-positive people, 13 in İzmir and 19 in Ankara, thus 32 people in total benefited from the trainings.

Almost all participants demanded additional trainings on various topics such as psychology, nutrition, drug use, and drug and food interactions, to be held in the future.

Turkish Project Report: https://l24.im/hkISy