Positive Actions

HIV stigma is a serious and pervasive problem in canada. We want your help to change this!
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The Positive Action initiative is your chance to secure one of ten $20,000 grants to use in the creation and execution of a positive action to help end HIV stigma in your community.

Our initiative aims to reduce HIV-related stigma in communities across Canada through the creation of peer-led interventions or positive actions

Our belief is that one small action has the potential to make significant change. The positive action you create might be the catalyst needed to break HIV stigma in Canada.

“Why aren’t we talking about it?”
‍HIV stigma in harm reduction services.

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In the context of the ongoing toxic drug supply and drug poisoning crisis, harm reduction services are an essential life-saving and emergent priority. In small urban, rural, and remote (SURR) communities, people face unique challenges including limited access to health services, geographical isolation, transportation challenges, and decreased anonymity accompanied by experiences of stigma and discrimination.

We have heard from communities of people who use drugs and who lead harm reduction services, that HIV is often not discussed amongst people using drugs out of fear that stigma will dissuade people from using drugs with them. We know this represents a gap in HIV prevention, testing, and treatment which this positive action aims to address.

This positive action will create a Workshop Kit for people with lived and living experience of substance use, by people living with HIV. This will be implemented in existing SURR community organization services to change attitudes and behaviours towards HIV related stigma, reduced experiences of stigma for people living with HIV, and the ultimate goal of increasing access to HIV treatment for people who access harm reduction services to improve overall health.

Young Women
‍Stigma Reduction Project

Our positive action aims to alleviate the psychological distress caused by stigma by providing young African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) women an opportunity to reclaim their sense of well-being and inner strength. By addressing stigma directly, this positive action will enhance access to healthcare services and support networks, empowering young women to navigate their HIV journey with resilience and confidence.

In our positive action, we will implement peer-led, group-based educational workshops to reduce HIV-related intersectional stigma, prevent secondary HIV transmission, and promote treatment, care, and support for young ACB women aged 16-29. We hope to empower and enable young women to play an active role in shaping their destinies and advocating for the rights and dignity of all people living with HIV.

Digital Storytelling capacity building
‍with people living with HIV

United Voices of HIV Alberta (UVHA) is a provincial caucus within the Alberta Community Council on HIV, comprising individuals living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Our positive action will leverage digital storytelling (DS) to empower PLWHA to talk about their experiences of stigma in a safe way. Digital narratives can transform perceptions, politicize personal experiences, and promote wellness.

Employing a participatory, asset-based community-building approach, UHVA focuses on the strengths of PLWHA. We will use the stories that participants have given permission to use at the end of the training to engage in a conversation that will serve to renew the work of stigma reduction in Alberta through the United Voices of HIV Alberta.

SUBMISSION
‍UPDATE

We will invite submissions for the 2nd cohort of positive actions later this year. More details will become available closer to Fall 2024.

This webinar was delivered in English only. For the recording of our French info session, click here.

The purpose of the e-module is to provide curated learning and resources essential to developing and implementing positive actions.
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It is not mandatory to complete the e-module in order to submit your POSITIVE ACTION letter of intent, however, it will help you formulate your development and implementation plan.

Start e-Module

The E-module: Positive Action Development Guide

The purpose of the e-module is to provide curated learning and resources essential to developing and implementing positive actions.

It is not mandatory to complete the e-module in order to submit your POSITIVE ACTION letter of intent, however, it will help you formulate your development and implementation plan.

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The
Letter of
Intent:

This is the POSITIVE ACTION submission form where you put your campaign idea down on paper (electronic paper).

This component is MANDATORY.

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In order to qualify your POSITIVE ACTION campaign for our review, you must submit your letter of intent form NO LATER than November 17, 2023.

This is the POSITIVE ACTION submission form where you put your campaign idea down on paper (electronic paper).

This component is MANDATORY.

In order for us to review your POSITIVE ACTION, you must submit your letter of intent form NO LATER than November 17, 2023. This deadline applies to LOI submissions in English only. The deadline for French language LOI submissions is December 22, 2023. French LOI submissions will be accepted after the French info session on November 22, 2023.

Letter of Intent

FUNDING Overview

Scoring Rubric

What is a POSITIVE ACTION?

A positive action is an intervention. You can use the terms interchangeably. Both are actions that promote health at a community, regional, or national level by creating change.
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After discussions with our community advisory committee, we decided to use the term ‘positive action’ rather than ‘intervention.’ We feel it fits better with our vision and more openly inspires strength-based, inclusive, and equitable approaches.

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What are the goals of Positive Actions?

1. Change attitudes and behaviours to reduce HIV-related stigma where it happens.

2. Change stigmatizing policies or practices in healthcare settings, workplaces, and community organizations.

3. Ensure that people living with HIV can access culturally safe and stigma-free services.

4. Improve the health of people living with HIV.

5. Enhance the capacity and empower people living with HIV (peers) to become stigma reduction champions.

Who can create a POSITIVE ACTION?

Any team, large or small, existing or just beginning, can apply for a Positive Action grant. However, there are a few administrative requirements needed from teams. For more details, check out our downloadable funding overview document available in the Letter of Intent section above.

Who are peers in POSITIVE ACTION?

Peers are people living with HIV who are hired into roles where their lived experience is essential to the work.

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What is the LIFECYCLE OF THE INITIATIVE?

We will provide seed funding to a total of 10 positive actions over the next 3 years (2024-2026). Don’t worry if you can’t apply this year, there will be an opportunity to apply in subsequent years.

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How does FUNDING work?

1. Teams will submit their completed positive action proposal to the Positive Action coordinator.

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2. A review committee will evaluate all submissions and notify teams if their submission is successful.

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3. Successful submissions will be funded up to $20,000.00 for their positive action. Each team must have an association with an organization or institution willing to hold and administer the grant funds.

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2nd Round of Positive Action Funding

More details regarding the next round of submissions for Positive Actions will be announced closer to Fall 2024.

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Want to stay up to date with everything happening with the Positive Actions initiative? Then please follow the Positive Effect profiles on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and Twitter.

Positive Actions:

Positive Actions:

HIV Stigma Has Met Its Match

The
Initiative

Meet our Funded Positive ActionS