PROJECTS SUPPORTED

The following projects are not funded by the Government and each year the WA AIDS Council raises funds to ensure direct emergency care is provided to people living with HIV/AIDS and that serving today's youth is possible.

Serving Today's Youth

We run a number of programs targeted at keeping our young people safe. We present information to secondary school students about HIV/AIDS, safe sex and safe drug use. We give potency to this information by having people with HIV presenting their story and some of the positive and negative experiences of having HIV.

The WA AIDS Council has a presence at popular youth events such as "Big Day Out" and the Fresher's Weeks held at all the tertiary institutions to provide information and resources.

We attend the Leavers celebration at Rottnest and Dunsborough to ensure that young people have access to proper information.

The WA AIDS Council operates a mobile needle and syringe exchange service going to 16 different locations each week. The vans are discrete and cater for all people who inject drugs.

We also provide education and prevention services in juvenile correction facilities. These young people have often had very difficult family lives and HIV/AIDS is the least of their problems. By giving them skills and knowledge we aim to prevent them from exacerbating their existing problems.

For young people growing up infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS we offer family based services, such as the annual family camp and support services for parents living with HIV so that they can better deal with the demands of their children.

HIV Assistance Fund

This is a fund set up by the WA AIDS Council to provide financial assistance to those most in need. The purpose of this fund is to provide practical support and emergency relief to assist the many men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS maintain a basic living standard. Ironically, the good news on HIV/AIDS treatments has created a new problem. Many people with HIV/AIDS find they are unable to support themselves for the term of their illness - financially as well as emotionally - so it is vital for the WA AIDS Council to provide this support.

For example, the HIV Assistance Fund may pay a bond and required letting fee to ensure a client has suitable accommodation. Direct financial assistance may be given for the payment of Western Power, AlintaGas and Telstra accounts. Practical assistance is provided through items such as food parcels, furniture and bed linen. At present almost every third request for help from the Fund is for food parcels.

For more information on any of these projects, visit the WA Aids Council website at www.waaids.com