Positive Life NSW

Hédimo Santana on new initiates in PSB recruitment and training.

The Positive Speakers Bureau (PSB), now running since December 1994, was reviewed in 1996. Recommendations have been gradually implemented over the last two years, including the recruitment and training of thirteen new speakers in July last year. Speakers received further training, which included observing presentations and support from more experienced speakers.

In line with Positive Life’s commitment to engage and represent diverse communities, speakers were recruited from various backgrounds including those who have been recently diagnosed with HIV and youth. We also supported the involvement of more women and men including Aboriginal people and those from culturally diverse backgrounds. In the same way we are diversifying the speakers, we are developing new audiences with a particular focus on the health system. In July we facilitated a discussion on ‘Access to Services’ with nurses working at St Vincents who, we hope, benefitted from the speaker’s experiences and expertise.

We anticipate that new audiences will require a range of skills and knowledge from the speakers. We are therefore developing a training program to provide them with the ability to tell their personal story in a more flexible way in group discussions. With this in mind, we met with speakers in July where they had the opportunity to talk with Niamh Lynn who organises HIV training for GPs, nurses and other health providers for ASHM. Niamh spoke about the role of PSB speakers in their workshops and the objectives and the skills required. Over the next few months, speakers will have a chance to observe ASHM presentations, in particular the use of role play, which will enable them to participate in future training.

Later in the year we will be organising a workshop on ‘Advanced Communications Skills’. By offering the speakers new opportunities in training, we hope they will be able to take a more proactive role in education and advocacy. At the same time, we will also give new speakers the opportunity to refresh and update their knowledge on emerging HIV issues and treatments.