The Community Development Department and the St. James HIV and 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 next month at the Weston Resource Centre, Weston, St. James.
The programme will commence on Tuesday, May 11, and continue each Tuesday evening until June 1, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
At the end of the workshops, it is hoped that church leaders will be able to better educate their congregations and the wider community about pertinent information related to HIV and AIDS, including its modes of transmission, ways of prevention and control, as well as information on sexually transmitted infections, counselling techniques, safe sex and behavioural change.
They should also be able at the end of the sessions to direct persons to the appropriate support groups for assistance in HIV and AIDS-related matters.
All workshops will be facilitated by HIV/AIDS Educator and retired nurse, Vashti Inniss.
The sessions will be a further opportunity for other organisations within the community to become familiar with the issue of HIV and AIDS and be better equipped to fight the spread of the disease.
Further information on the outreach programme may be obtained by contacting the Community Development Department, 4th Floor East Wing, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael at 310-1700 or 310-1715.