Introduction

To date, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men, sistergirls and men who have sex with men, have accounted for the majority of HIV transmissions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community; however, recent data has shown that HIV transmissions have increased among Aboriginal women and among Indigenous Australians who inject drugs.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people commonly experience stigma and discrimination relating to race, sexuality and HIV status in a wide range of life activities. This stigma and discrimination can include access to sexual health and support services. Discrimination does not necessarily take the form of direct denial of services: it is also enacted through the absence or lack of sensitivity around the experience of being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, gay, lesbian, transgender/sistergirl, or an understanding issues relating to injecting drug use that creates the barrier to service. A lack of awareness of the particular health care needs of these groups, and a linked inability to respond to these needs, result in these communities feeling unwelcome or under-serviced. In particular, the sexual health of this target group can be jeopardised as a result.

In response, the Australian Federation of AIDS organisations (AFAO), in collaboration with Anwernekenhe National Aboriginal and Torres Strait HIV/AIDS Alliance (ANA) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Project Officer Network (ATSIPON) has developed STRAIGHT TALKING: A best practice guide in HIV and sexual health promotion for workers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sexual health.

The best practice guide has been designed to build and enhance the skills of HIV and sexual health workers and organisations to assist in HIV and sexual health service delivery responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The best practice guide provides detailed information to assist organisations and workers with HIV and other relevant sexual health support and services on:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• HIV and Our Communities
• Basic facts about HIV
• HIV Education and Prevention
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Training and Development
• Recruitment and Retention of Workers

Why a best practice manual?

With the theme “Stronger Together” Anwernekenhe 4 took place on April 24-28, 2006 in Mylor, South Australia on the lands on the Kaurna Peoples. Over 130 participants from the community, health care sector and HIV organisations attended the conference.

A range of topics that impact on HIV and sexual health and well-being were addressed at the conference with the programme covering:

• HIV & STI prevention;
• living with HIV/AIDS;
• youth;
• isolation and discrimination;
• new and emerging research;
• sexuality and gender issues impacting on sexual health; and
• the workforce

Capacity building, by way of access to HIV and sexual health education and information was given special attention to empower delegates to work with their communities. The conference program was developed within a peer education framework, meaning that peers were central to the development and delivery of the information and services. Active participation was encouraged in all sessions and the information was shared in a manner that allowed delegates to learn from one another and empower delegates to take the information back to their respective communities and continue in a peer educator’s role.

The conference concluded with 39 recommendations, with two priority workforce development recommendations put forward for AFAO to consider.

1. That AFAO develop resources for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander HIV and sexual health and other Aboriginal health workers that assist in developing good practice (e.g., a guide on how to talk to people about sensitive issues).
   
   

2. To assist in overcoming difficulties in recruiting and retaining workers to work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander HIV and sexual health positions. The roundtable recommends that AFAO develop/commission a process guide for recruitment that incorporates creative suggestions for: recruitment strategies beyond current recruitment processes; and strategies to support retention of new workers such as mentoring and professional development plans.
   
   

Throughout the conference, many participants suggested that there was a significant amount of HIV and sexual health information that had been produced over the previous years, much of which was still relevant and often used as best practice material. It was recommended that if AFAO were to develop a best practice guide, that some of this information could be compiled into one document. This would, in turn, be a useful resource for all sexual health workers, using or locating best practice information.

At the commencement of this project, a comprehensive literature and projects search was undertaken to identify information relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV and sexual health promotion.

This manual has been developed in response to the conference recommendations, while attempting to bring together some of the identified information and materials that will assist sexual health workers, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous.

We would like to acknowledge the many individuals and organisations whose work we have sourced and recommend as best practice. Without this past work, this AFAO best practice guide would not be possible.

This resource is intended for a broad audience of people and AFAO recognises that this resource may not represent all aspects of the diversity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and cultures.

Download the Anwernekenhe 4 conference report and recommendations (PDF, 1.27 MB)