Mission Statement
Date published: 1 January 2020
Sexual Health West is a charity which provides a safe and welcoming environment for everyone with whom it works. Our office is based in Galway.
Our Mission is to:
- Deliver the highest quality care and support to people living with HIV, AIDS or STIs.
- Empower those living with HIV to optimise their health and well being
- Raise awareness around HIV, AIDS, and STI issues and work to eradicate stigma and discrimination
- Promote positive sexual health without prejudice or discrimination.
Objectives
Deliver the highest quality care and support to people living with HIV AIDs or STIs
Support
- To offer emotional/psychological support to people living with HIV AIDS or STIs according to their stated needs and to the ability of Sexual Health West to deliver those supports.
- Support may be by telephone, email, zoom or by face-to-face meetings with the coordinator.
- Telephone Helpline support may be offered by other Sexual Health West staff.
- Support groups or ‘buddying’ by similarly affected people may be offered.
- If deeper psychological support is needed the person may be referred to a psychotherapist.
- Support may also be offered to a person who makes contact who is experiencing a sexual health crisis or problem.
- Offer advice and support to people living with HIV in practical challenges such as finding suitable accommodation or in obtaining social welfare benefits.
To Empower Those Living With HIV To Optimise Their Health And Wellbeing
- Workshops on different aspects of personal development facilitated by experienced practitioners will be offered from time-to-time to people living with HIV.
Workshop topics will include areas such as :- Improving self-esteem
- Fighting against stigma
- Self-care tools
- Campaigning and advocating for the best possible support services and treatments
Raise Awareness
- We will raise public awareness of HIV, AIDS, STIs and sexual health through awareness campaigns, provision of information material, use of different media, seminars, the publication of a newsletter and public events.
- Provide a confidential Helpline Information Service on HIV, AIDS, STIs and sexual health matters.
- Ongoing use of technology to provide information on HIV, AIDS, STIs and sexual health such as maintaining up to date information on our website www.sexualhealthwest.ie and App.
- Draft and publish leaflets, posters, brochures and booklets on sexual health matters for information and distribution to health clinics, doctors surgeries, seminars, conferences etc.
Promote Positive Sexual Health
- We will enhance sexual well-being by the provision of responsive and innovative training programmes to schools, community groups, youth organizations etc and work in conjunction with state agencies to provide these programmes where appropriate.
- We will provide outreach programmes for at-risk groups i.e. gay community, asylum seekers, prisoners plus many others in the form of education, support, advice and provision of free condoms
- We will provide outreach services to young people who are potentially at risk and who are not in contact with other services.
- We will work with the Western Region Drugs & Alcohol Task Force (WRDATF) to deliver holistic educational programmes which link sexual health with drug and alcohol abuse.
Best Practice
- Participate in Research on sexual health, disease prevention and best care practice.
- Participate in national/local meetings and networks/associations in order to develop and maintain models of practice, such as the Galway Sexual Health Forum
- Work with HSE and community groups in the development and delivery of training programmes to schools, community groups etc.
