Overview – WA Positive Community Forum
NAPWHA and the WAAC, have committed to supporting two WA Community Forums per year. One to be conducted in March, before the NAPWHA S.G.M (April), and the second to be conducted in September before the NAPWHA A.G.M. (November).
The general purpose of these meeting is to discuss current issues relevant to people living with HIV in W.A.
Follow-up Community Forum Report & Survey Summary Nov 2012
Sat 13th July 2013 – PLHIV Community ForumCommunityForumJuly2013
This Forum was facilitated by Ash and Dianne (WA NAPWHA Reps).
16 people RSVP’d for the event, however only 10 were able to attend on the day. Thank you to NAPWHA for the catering and venue, and thanks also to WAAC for promoting the event through its internal contact list.
Important progress included the setting up of a ‘HIV Caucus’ to co-ordinate advocacy efforts for changes to the WAAC constitution so that PLHIV or members of WAAC can directly vote on who is the openly HIV Positive representative of the community on the WAAC Board (currently it is politically appointed by the Board). Another important issue was easy access to HIV medication in a community setting.
Sat 16th March 2013 – PLHIV Community Forum CommunityForumMarch2013
Minutes are being sourced and will be posted when made available
Suggestions logged.
-Positive Rep on the WAAC Board – (Neil Buckley 11th November 2011)
Advocacy updates
Name: Neil Buckley Email: new.opi.perth@hotmail.com Comment or details of advocacy or event: I would like to place this on the agenda for the next Positive Community Forum. The Position and role of the Positive Representative on the Aids Council Board. I would like the Forum to send a clear Message from the Positive Community to the Aids Council of WA that this Position Needs to be elected by Positive People and the role better defined to fit the community needs. This has been raised with WAAC and at a Board Level and WAAC has said no to changing the role or how it is elected. Now that the Poz Community look like we have a new Model to elect the Positive Reps To NAPWA and we are most probably not going to have a Peak PLWHA Body to speak for Positive people in this state, this Position needs to be redefined to help fill that Gap unless the new NAPWA Rep's will be dealing with Both Local and National issue at each Community Forums that are to be held. The Positive Rep form the AIDS Council Needs to be at these Forums as it is not many times in WA that there is a gathering of Positive people and Local and State issue could be dealt with as well as the national issue. I hope that NAPWA support the redefining of the Aids Council POZ Rep on the Board it would be in there best interested too. Before the next Forum as many people as possible need to contact WAAC either your Support officer the CEO or Chairperson and lobby for this . I Have written to the Board see below . The email address for WACC is To waac@waaids.com If we do not speak out as a community for this change nothing will happen . People have been talking about making this change for too long it is now time for some action on this issue from the POZ Community is taken. I am Happy if you wish to just copy and past the letter below and send it to WAAC or your own...the more that speak out about this stronger the call for change . Advocacy Topic: Positive Community Forum WA Time: Sunday November 11, 2012 at 4:16 am