Season 1
Episode 3

GIPA in the Workplace

20:08
August 8, 2017

The Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA) is a set of principles that highlight engagement, equity and social justice, and place people living with HIV at the center of the HIV movement. However, implementing GIPA in the workplace can be challenging. Is it doable? Are the principles still relevant in today’s work environment?

Wanting to learn more, host James Watson talks with two people living with HIV who work in the sector: Marvelous Muchenje, a Program Coordinator at the Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre, and Andre Ceranto, Manager of Community Programs, Volunteers & Peers at Fife House in Toronto.

Our episode guests

Marvelous Muchenje

Program Coordinator at the Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre

An outspoken HIV activist, advocating for prevention and education, and the compassionate treatment of people living with and affected by HIV. With her sense of humour, she battles tirelessly for both public recognition and respect, giving thousands a voice in the fight against the stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV.

When you are seen as a Peer Support Worker within an HIV program, you’re known as being HIV-positive, whether you’re out or not. So maybe finding ways of naming the role…finding more innovative ways.

Andre Ceranto

Manager of Community Programs, Volunteers & Peers at Fife House in Toronto

Andre Ceranto has been living with HIV for more than 15 years. He started in the HIV sector doing prevention work and soon realized his passion was to work with other people living with HIV, with his peers.

I think having that opportunity as a PHA [person living with HIV/AIDS] to voice that experience and to help guide people that I know living with HIV—in terms of how to provide services, how to change policies—I think makes the whole difference.

Episode "extras"

Marvelous is an outspoken HIV activist, advocating for prevention and education, and the compassionate treatment of people living with and affected by HIV. With her sense of humour, she battles tirelessly for both public recognition and respect, giving thousands a voice in the fight against the stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV.

Marvelous describes her experience of being out about her status in the workplace and goes on to highlight some of the challenges people living with HIV can come up against at work. She goes on to describe some of the accommodations made to support her and other people living with episodic illnesses, like cancer or diabetes.

Marvelous points to the vicarious employment situation most people living with HIV working in the HIV sector find themselves in. A discussion takes place around the ability of organisations to implement the GIPA Principle, given their fiscal pressures.

You can learn more about Marvelous in POZPLANET Magazine and watch her speak at the 2013 CATIE Forum.

The next guest to join James on the show is Andre, who has been living with HIV for more than 15 years. Andre started in the HIV sector doing prevention-related work and soon realized that his passion was to work with other people living with HIV (PHAs)—his peers. He is currently working as the Peer Program Manager at Casey House, but was working as the Manager of Community Programs, Volunteers & Peers at Fife House in Toronto, when interviewed for this episode.

Andre speaks about his journey as a person living with HIV, and how the support of his peers and his ability to share his story openly were pivotal to the positive experience he has had working in the HIV sector. Notably, he claims his employment trajectory was further enriched by organizations that adhered to the GIPA principle.

Later in the episode, Andre describes the value his lived experience, and the lived experience of others living with HIV, brings to the work in the HIV sector. However, Andre also points out that engaging PHAs can be challenging for a variety of reasons, but it’s a rewarding endeavour.

In the spirit of GIPA, Andre is very intentional in making sure that people living with HIV are at the core of everything they do at Casey House.

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We love hearing from our listeners so drop us a line! Also let us know if you are interested being a guest on the Podcast. If you have any comments or questions or ideas for new episodes please email
james.pozcast@gmail.com

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