Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 34329-34333 749

Project: The AIDS Task Force of Fiji has been in operation since 1994, with
16 out of 18 members of management board and staff under the age of 30 years.
The spearhead project of this CBO is its Peer Education program which involves
training young people to conduct HIV/AIDS education outreach targeting young
sexually active people in bars and streets around the capital, Suva. During this four
year period we have tried to maintain empowerment of staff as well as the clients
we serve in the community. The lessons of the past have been painful and almost
fatal for the organisation. By involving staff in analytical restructuring of projects,
and in organisational planning and management, as well as concentrating on staff
development, we are now stronger than ever.
Results: Self imposed tighter management and accountability at all levels has
resulted in an increased organisational capacity, workers have a strengthened
sense of ownership in their organisation, and new responsibilities and challenges
have empowered staff.
Lessons Learned: Perseverance, support and prioritizing staff development
and empowerment markedly increases the capacity and sustainability of CBOs.
34329 Social security and law with regard to HIV and AIDS
Kurt Paarli. AIDS-Hilfe Schweiz, Postfach CH-8031, Zurich, Switzerland
Issues: Due to the complex legal system, it is quite difficult for people with
HIV/AIDS to know their rights and to enforce their claims. The diagnosis HIV-positive leads to legal problems because the distinction between SICK and HEALTHY
has a more or less significant effect on different areas of law.
Project: The advice center "Social security and law with regard to HIV and
AIDS" of the Swiss AIDS Federation aims to support the fight for stronger rights
of people with HIV/AIDS. With its offer-directed at AIDS organizations and people
with HIV/AIDS-the advice center provides concrete help in individual cases. In addition to that, the center examines basic questions, shares information, organizes
further education courses and cooperates with other interested organizations.
Results: In 1997, the center recorded a total of 142 consultations. About 50%
of the questions referred to social security, 25% to labour legislation and further
25% to problems regarding data protection, patients' rights and criminal law.
50% of the inquiries came from AIDS organizations, 30% directly from people
with HIV/AIDS and 20% from other organizations. Experience has shown that
the center's advisory service was not only used by people directly affected by
HIV/AIDS and advisors of organizations specifically dealing with AIDS, but also
and frequently by hospitals, doctor's practices, professional associations and
social security offices. This does not come as a surprise because questions regarding social security very often arise when consulting a doctor or being treated
in hospital.
Conclusions: Members of the medical profession are usually not qualified to
answer such questions and therefore they appreciate the possibility to make use
of the know-how of a competent advisory service. Furthermore, we observed an
urgent need for and a considerable lack of appropriate information material on
legal issues. As from now on, the Swiss AIDS Federation will therefore regularly supply any interested parties with information on legal questions concerning
HIV/AIDS.
34330 Predictors of dropout and burnout in volunteers -
A longitudinal study
Michael Ross1, S.A. Greenfield1, L. Bennett2, R.H. Sunderland3. 1University of
Texas, PO Box 20186 Houston TX 77225; 3Firm Houston TX, USA; 2University
of Sydney Sydney, Australia
Objectives: To determine the predictors of dropout and burnout among volunteers
in an AIDS support program.
Design: Prospective longitudinal study.
Methods: All volunteers who were members of an interfaith ecumenical AIDS
support program were studied at baseline (see Nesbitt et al., 1996) and two years
later. 76 of the original 174 respondents could be contacted and agreed to fill out
a further questionnaire (40 were dropouts, 36 current volunteers).
Results: Significant predictors of dropout were the total stressor score on the
AIDS Volunteer Impact Scale; the subscores of Client Problems and Role Ambiguity, Emotional Overload, and Organizational Factors; and the Depersonalization
Intensity subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (dropouts scored higher on
all). Rewards of volunteering did not differ between groups and thus does not
have a protective effect. Data suggest that a combination of role ambiguity, level
of organization, difficult clients and a feeling of being emotionally overloaded
produce volunteer burnout and dropout, which is not compensated for by the
rewards of volunteering.
34331 Partnership programme between UK ASO and NGOs in
India, Caribbean, Romania, Ukraine and Russia
Susie Parsons. 111-117 Lancaster Road, London Lighthouse, London, UK
Issues: Strengthening NGO responses to HIV/AIDS through partnership pro
gramme aimed at community mobilisation, empowerment and the transfer of
technical assistance.
Project: (a) India - management development placement for GAP-ISRCDE
(Gujarat AIDS Awareness and Prevention Unit) and 3rd counselling skills development workshop
(b) Caribbean - community mobilisation workshops in Jamaica, Suriname and
Barbados

(c) Romania - strategic planning workshop for the Romanian Angel Appeal
and workshop on good childcare practice for social workers from the Sunflower
Clinics
(d) Ukraine - strategic planning workshop for 3 self-help groups (funded by the
British Embassy), 2 workshops on psycho-social aspects of HIV/AIDS care and
massage skills at the School of Social Work at the University of Kiev, training
modules on advocacy skills, information management, counselling skills, strategic
planning and fundraising (unded by EC LIEN programme and co-facilitated with
other UK ASOs).
(e) Russia - management development placement for paediatrician from Russian HIV/AIDS Clinical Centre, St. Petersburg (funded by the Know How Fund)
and feasibility study for a rehabilitation centre, Moscow (funded by Department
for International Development).
Funding is via an international grant from the UK National Lottery Charities
Board unless otherwise specified.
ASOs in developed countries can link with compatible projects in developing
countries to build collaborative partnerships aimed at strengthening the NGO
sector's capacity for community mobilisation, including the involvement of people
living with HIV/AIDS, at promoting hope and empowerment and the transfer of
relevant technical assistance.
34332 | Consolidation of a volunteer workforce for HIV/AIDS
prevention and care services: Corporacion Chilena de
Prevenci6n del SIDA
Timothy Frasca. General Jofre 179 Santiago, Chile
Issues: Although volunteers are the backbone of many AIDS organizations,
procedures to manage their contributions are often developed by accident or
experiment. Errors absorb staff time and damage community standing, as well as
the organization's discourse on rights, responsibilities and community ownership.
Project: In order to consolidate the volunteer component of prevention and
care programs, we undertook a diagnostic evaluation and designed changes in
volunteer management.
Results: A high rate of volunteer turnover was observed. The group was
founded by gay men and attracts many gay trainees and now increasing numbers
of women. Through interviews with former and current volunteers, we found
two categories of factors influencing commitment levels: personal issues, such
as harmful gossip, shifts in interests or priorities, and the volunteers' sense of
being appreciated, of belonging, or of making a personal contribution. Institutional
issues included lack of clarity about decision-making and lines of authority, lack
of communication, and inadequate supervision and evaluation. Burnout or stress
were not found to be major factors. We initiated a rectification plan, including
strategic planning, formal recognition of achievements including numerical goals,
a study group, and the creation of a committee of program heads. In addition,
we altered the intake training course to emphasize personal growth aspects of
volunteer work, and new trainees were given study guides designed to generate
individual work projects, similar to a degree-program thesis. Volunteers leaving
the organization were given farewells. Among new trainees, those who did not
abandon rapidly at the conclusion of the course manifest substantially higher job
satisfaction. Four new volunteers are pursuing individual work plans with the aim
of producing a thesis project.
Lessons Learned: Each stage of the volunteer process - recruitment, training,
assignment, supervision, evaluation, and farewell - should be managed according
to a precise plan, whose outline is known to volunteers. Staff time and attention
dedicated to volunteer management produces important returns and consolidates
institutional mystique.
S34333 Importance of participatory programme planning and
management for effective sexual health interventions
Suman Sengupta, N. Agrawal, K. Verma, S. Bhattacharya. 9A Little Russel
Street Calcutt 700071; WB.S.H.P Calcutta, India
Issue: Effective sexual health interventions require participatory planning assessment of needs and problems in relation to sexual health, matching possible
solutions with organisational strengths and then later using this information to
design appropriate, need based sexual health interventions.
Project: The West Bengal Sexual Health Project (WBSHP) is addressing sexual health, particularly of vulnerable groups who are at heightened risk of STD/HIV
infection. The eight steps of the WBSHP planning process are: 1. Reviewing relationship with the target group, 2. Problem identification and needs assessment,
3. Assessment of organisational strengths and weaknesses, 4. Identification of
goals, objectives and activities of sexual health interventions, 5. Developing a
work-plan, 6. Developing indicators, 7. Monitoring and 8. Evaluation.
Management issues addressed by the project include 1. Capacity building and
training on sex and sexuality, STD diagnosis and treatment, Behavioural Change
Communication (BCC), Condom programming, Sexual health programme management, Research methodologies, 2. Manuals on various components of sexual
health to promote best practices, 3. Quarterly monitoring (using process indica
tor forms, qualitative indicators) to achieve minimum standards, 4. Stakeholders
analysis, 5. Participatory annual review and re-planning, 6. Process approach, 7.
Non stigmatising, non-coercive, non-moralistic and gender sensitive approach.
Results: As a result of the planning and management process of the project,
successful, need based sexual health interventions (which include BCC, Syndromic management of STIs and Condom promotion) have been developed with
clear-cut objectives, activities and indicators for monitoring and evaluation.