IAMpowerment closely follows the model of the Mpowerment Project which is an intervention model that has proven effective with young gay men ages 18-29. The model will expand on our present Projeto VIHDA program that uses our staff of AIDS educators for group, community and individual interventions by adding a corps of young gay males who have already “graduated” from VIHDA to serve as peer volunteers and support.
IAMpowerment will provide four interventions during the year which will include four multi-group sessions, single-session workshops, and a retreat In addition.
IAMpowerment will produce a quarterly newsletter and maintain a website. The Workshops will include discussion and training regarding unsafe sex and misconceptions regarding safe sex, skill-building exercises and safer sex negotiation practice.
Projeto VIHDA
Projeto VIHDA is an innovative program seeking to prevent HIV/AIDS in the Brazilian community through increased awareness, knowledge and empowerment to reduce risk.
Projeto VIHDA was created by Interfaith AIDS Ministry at the request of the Brazilian community to address perceived growing needs for prevention and education.
Projeto VIHDA provides HIV/AIDS education, prevention, materials and services in Portuguese specifically for the Brazilian community.
Projeto VIHDA’s Programs are developed and tailored to meet the specific needs of the Brazilian community. VIHDA’s services include but are not limited to; pamphlets, lectures, group workshops, peer training sessions and general discussion groups all lead by our state certified HIV/AIDS Educators.
Guiding Principles
- Personal and community empowerment.
- Diffusion of new behaviors through social
networks.
- Peer influence.
- Putting HIV prevention within the context of other compelling issues for young gay/bisexual men (e.g., social issues).
- Community building.
- Uses Gay positive approaches
- Young men are very concerned with social and self-esteem issues.
- Peer influences are strong among young Gay/Bisexual men.
- Building healthy community among young Gay/Bisexual men.
- Empowerment promotes more lasting changes in behavior.
- Community–wide change occurs through interpersonal networks.
- Gay – Positive and Sex – Positive messages encourage behavior change
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Proven and tested
The Mpowerment Project is a model HIV prevention program that has been designed specifically to address the needs of young gay and bisexual men.
The Mpowerment Project is the first documented HIV prevention intervention for young gay/bisexual men to succeed in reducing sexual risk behavior. The program has been carefully developed, evaluated and continually refined over the course of twelve years by prominent behavioral scientists from the University of California, San Francisco’s Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), a leading-edge HIV/AIDS research institution.
The Mpowerment Project is listed in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Compendium of HIV Prevention Interventions with Evidence of Effectiveness and it has been named an Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
To get connected
call: 203.748.4077
Alaor Gontijo, AIDS Educator
Email: iamgoiano@sbcglobal.net
Silvio Soares, AIDS Educator
Email: iamsilviosoares@sbcglobal.net
Interfaith AIDS Ministry
39 Rose ST. Danbury, CT. 06810
Voice: 203.748.4077 Fax: 203 748 2841
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