Where:"Voices of Positive Women is a provincial community-based non-profit organization directed by and for women living with HIV/AIDS living in Ontario."

"Voices aims to:
* Empower women living with HIV/AIDS through confidential support, outreach, information and education;
* Represent the issues of women living with HIV/AIDS in order to improve HIV+ women’s quality of life;
* Educate the public by promoting accurate, affirming images of women living with HIV/AIDS.

Through our programs and services we reach out to all women living with HIV/AIDS, including, but not limited to, women who are pregnant, women who are geographically or culturally isolated, women of colour and Aboriginal women, women with substance use issues, woman dealing with violence, women with disabilities, bisexual, lesbian and queer women, and transsexual and transgendered women."

Program and Service Details:

Peer Education

Our Community Partnerships Program plays a very important role in the lives of positive women by developing and nurturing community capacity building through its various initiatives. The Peer Education Component, for instance, aims to build partnerships with community and women-serving organizations in the priority areas which include Scarborough, Jane and Finch, and Lawrence Heights in the GTA. The Peer Education component of the Community Partnerships Program promotes healthy sexuality and safer sex behaviors through workshops, forums, outreach, and consultation meetings. In the upcoming year, our workshops will focus on Healthy Sexuality, Challenging Stigma and Discrimination, and Violence against Women.

FYI / Newsletter

FYI is Voices of Positive Women’s quarterly newsletter that provides information to our members and to our partners on community resources and events, as well as current treatments for HIV, including complementary and alternative therapies.

Telelink

This is our monthly long-distance teleconference offering support and educational talks to VOPW members across Ontario. Telelink ran smoothly and was well received this past year. Topics covered included the following: Women and HIV; Pregnancy; HIV and Dental Health; Disclosure to Sexual Partners; Hepatitis C and Co-Infection; and Nutrition. Thanks to our guest speakers like Dr. Mona Loutfy of Maple Leaf Medical Clinic, Glenn Betteridge of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, dentist Dr. Ki, and Karina Wulf of Casey House.

Voices/Hassle Free Monthly Support Group for Newly Diagnosed Women This biweekly support group consists of women who have recently been diagnosed as having HIV and also those who tested positive in their respective countries but are new in Canada. The aim of the group is to educate and empower newly diagnosed women and enhance their coping skills. It is also a forum for learning about available services and how to access them. In addition, the group can help women gain confidence in talking about their status before attending larger groups like the Skills Building Workshops.

Skills Development Project for African and Caribbean Women Living with HIV/AIDS

VOPW offers this program in partnership with Women’s Health in Women’s Hands, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, and African Community Health Services. The purpose of the project is to promote well-being and foster skills development through increased access to services for African and Caribbean women living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto and the surrounding area. Monthly workshops included the following sessions: Jewellery Making; Models of Disclosure: Western vs Cultural; Criminalization of Non-Disclosure; HIV and Its Impact on the Body; and Having a Life After HIV/AIDS: Sexuality, Sex and Relationships.

Positive Youth Outreach – Young HIV+ Women Support Group

VOPW runs this monthly program for young women in Toronto in partnership with the AIDS Committee of Toronto. Group outings and social activities are key to this group’s success.

VOPW Treatment Fund Program

This vitamin and reimbursement program is extremely popular with VOPW members and was accessed by almost 600 women over the past year. VOPW members have two options for accessing the Treatment Fund. Every two months, members may request either a supplement package or be reimbursed for up to $60 for approved complementary therapies. The supplement package currently consists of high potency multivitamins, vitamin E, flax seed oil, N’Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC), Alpha-Lipoic Acid and, when requested and available, children's chewable multivitamins.

This monthly social support network for African and Caribbean women living with HIV in Toronto is run in partnership with the AIDS Committee of Toronto, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, and African Community Health Services. Social activities enjoyed by participants included beading, flower arranging and the creation of memory books.

Peer Mentor Program

This program, which is central to VOPW’s peer networking, matches HIV+ women throughout Ontario with peers who are trained to provide support. We hold two Peer Mentor training sessions each year, one in Southern Ontario and one in the Ontario North. VOPW has so far trained over 40 Peer Mentors across Ontario. VOPW is actively building partnerships and referral strategies to connect peers with positive women in their communities. VOPW’s Peer Mentors are emerging leaders in the HIV community and we want to foster every opportunity for them to share their passion, skills and knowledge.

Nursing Clinic

This is a biweekly program in partnership with Casey House Hospice. A Casey House nurse is available for consultations and for addressing various health topics such as kidney health, Hepatitis and treatment options.

Naturopathic Clinic

Once a month, naturopathic Doctor Masina Wright volunteers her time and services to VOPW members by providing acupuncture treatments and consultations on complementary therapies.

Vanier Prison Workshops

VOPW continues to co-facilitate a monthly workshop for women at Vanier with the Prisoner AIDS Support Action Network. HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and sexual health issues are discussed. Given the high demand for workshops, VOPW and PASAN intend to increase the sessions from once to twice weekly in the upcoming year.

Volunteer Program

Volunteers at Voices do a variety of different jobs, including sitting on the Board, mentoring peers, providing reception/administrative assistance, staffing information tables at different events, and developing resources such as safer sex kits. Voices of Positive Women depends on the many volunteers who work so hard and without them we would have a tough time accomplishing everything we do.

Needs: Financial contributions for program supplies and activities (food, child-care and public transportation to facilitate women's participation in support groups) and volunteers for administrative and other work.

Special Volunteer Spotlight:

Gladys Kwaramba, VOPW

12.1.07 - WORLD AIDS DAY FEATURED AIDS HEADLINING NON-PROFIT FOR "EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE" 2007 AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: YouthAIDS	FEATURED HEADLINING PERFORMER FOR "EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE" 2007 AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AIDS - ANNIE LENNOX:
12.2.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	Coastal Carolina HIV Care Consortium
12.3.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT: Spotlight On Someone Living With HIV/AIDS: Founder of HFHA, Chrystopher Crespin Volunteer Spotlight: Janie Farren, honored by HFHA for her dedication to making HFHA's website a reality!	HELP FIGHT HIV/AIDS (HFHA)
12.4.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	AVERT
12.5.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	REAF
12.6.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	STOP AIDS
12.7.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT: Featured Speaker/ Spotlight On Someone Living With HIV/AIDS:	Love Heals, the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education Jimmy Mack: Thriving and Helping
12.8.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT: Featured AIDS Awareness Artistic Project:	National AIDS Fund The Bear Necessity Aids Project (BNAP)
12.9.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	The AIDS Show
12.10.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	amfAR - The Foundation for AIDS Research
12.11.07 FEATURED NON-PROFIT:	AIDS Coalition Silicon Valley