ViiV Healthcare Australia has unveiled the community-based HIV organisations who will receive funding from the annual Positive Action Community Grants (PACG) program.

The program, in its 10th year in Australia, delivers support to community groups focused on improving the lives of people with HIV, and has delivered $2million since its inception, supporting over 50 projects.  

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This year, a total of $200,000 in funding has been awarded to five organisations with projects dedicated to boosting health access and awareness in priority populations, strengthening patient-provider relationships, and enhancing health system responses to drive better long-term outcomes.  

Ann Maccarrone, Community Engagement and Partnerships Manager at ViiV Healthcare Australia, said this year’s award recipients exemplified the importance of funding community-led initiatives to address stigma and discrimination to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.   

“We are honoured to support the five recipients of the 2024 PACG program, whose initiatives align with our mission to create meaningful and lasting impact for people living with HIV, and to leave no person living with HIV behind.

“The initiatives led by WAAC, Watipa, National Association of People with HIV Australia, Thorne Harbour Health and HIV/AIDS Legal Centre will expand services for priority populations, ensuring that people living with HIV receive support at every stage of their journey,” Maccarrone said.   

The projects the Positive Action Community Grants program will be supporting include: 

• WAAC for the creation of ‘The Positive Speakers Bureau’, an initiative that empowers people living with HIV to share their stories, fostering greater understanding and reducing stigma and discrimination. 

• Watipa for enhancing inclusive, person-centred care in Northern NSW through the ‘Moments of Choice’ storytelling initiative, which captures diverse community perspectives and recommendations to improve healthcare in the region. 

• National Association of People with HIV Australia for uniting nursing clinical experts and community service providers with a roundtable event on sustainable care models for people ageing with HIV, aiming to improve access and establish a framework for health and aged care services guided by expert insights. 

• Thorne Harbour Health for showcasing ‘Positive Adelaide’, a multimedia project that amplifies the diverse lived experiences of people living with HIV in South Australia through online and other platforms, helping to reduce stigma and enhance quality of life. 

• HIV/AIDS Legal Centre for leveraging technology to create a centralised hub of up-to-date information and resources on HIV disclosure requirements and rights across Australia. 

As HIV care has evolved, the focus has shifted from surviving HIV to ensuring that people are living and ageing well. However, many people living with HIV continue to experience poor health outcomes and report lower quality of life compared to those living without HIV. 

In fact, among people living with HIV in Australia who participated in the Futures survey, only half (50.5% of 816 participants) report their overall wellbeing (including physical, emotional and mental wellbeing) to be good or excellent.  

Western Australian Organisation WAAC will develop a new positive speaker’s program 

WAAC is launching the Positive Speakers Bureau (PSB) WA to empower people living with HIV with the skills to share their experiences and challenges, fostering awareness and understanding across diverse audiences. In collaboration with the Positive Organisation of WA (POWA), and with support from Living Positive Victoria (LPV), WAAC is ensuring strong community involvement in shaping the program’s development. 

Rhys Ross, Senior HIV Peer Educator and Coordinator of the PSB Project at WAAC, said the new program would build upon previous work done by the orgganisation.  

“Speakers will engage with schools, healthcare professionals, aged-care workers, police, Aboriginal services, and health students to build empathy, compassion, and inclusivity. This project aims to create safer and more supportive communities for people living with HIV,” Ross said.