The Community Development Department and the St. James HIV/AIDS Education Committee are reaching out to church leaders in that parish, as they seek to educate and sensitise more Barbadians about the pandemic.

To this end, several community education workshops are being planned for later this month at the Weston Resource Centre, Weston, St. James.

At the end of the sessions, it is hoped that the church leaders will be able to inform their congregations and the wider community about pertinent information related on HIV and AIDS, as well as direct persons to the appropriate support groups for assistance.

The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 16, and will focus on the routes of transmission of HIV and AIDS, defining related terms and the categories at risk. The facilitators are Community Development Officer, Patricia Branker; Chairperson of the St. James HIV/AIDS Education Committee, Alldene Jordan and HIV/AIDS Educator, Vashti Inniss.

The second seminar will take place on the following Tuesday, March 23, and participants will learn about "Sexually Transmitted Infections", "Counselling Skills" "Types of Counselling" and?? "The Qualities of a Good Counsellor".

On Tuesday, March 30, "Safer Sex and Behavioural Change", "Prevention and Control" and "AIDS in the Family" will be the topics discussed.

The following workshop on Tuesday, April 6, will touch on "HIV and AIDS Support Groups", "Fighting the Victim Label" and "Government Policies geared towards persons with HIV".

The final meeting on Tuesday, April 30, will be an opportunity for evaluation and for participants to give feedback on the workshops..

All sessions run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will be facilitated by HIV/AIDS Educator, Vashti Inniss.?? askeete@barbados.gov.bb

Author: Andr?? Skeete

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