Siri May (ACON - on behalf of Meggan Grose) reflects on changing models of service delivery and community engagement with Aboriginal gay men. This presentation was given at the AFAO/NAPWA Gay Men's HIV Health Promotion Conference in May 2012.

1. Who are you talking to?
Aboriginal Gay Men in the Prevention
Revolution
Siri May
on behalf of
Meggan Grose

2. Acknowledgment

3. The Revolution
Revolution
noun
From the Latin word revolutio meaning
‘a turn around’

4. The Revolution
A forcible overthrow of a government or social
order, in favour of a new system
A fundamental change in power or
organisational structures that takes place in a
relatively short period of time
A dramatic and wide-reaching change in
conditions, attitudes, or operation

5. The Revolution
Aristotle described two types of
political revolution:
3.Complete change from one
constitution to another
5.Modification of an existing
constitution

6. The Implications
What we’re doing is delivering what
we’re getting
A different outcome will require
different/additional approaches

7. So What Were We Doing?
• Primarily working one on one with a small
amount of clients
• Making a lot of assumptions about identity
• Working in silos
• Allowing one project to hold ‘Aboriginality’
for the organisation

8. Then something started
happening…
We started to ask questions

9. • Why individual client focussed work?
• Does our staffing structure support our
work?
• Who else is meant to be doing this with us?
• Do we have permission to do this work?
• What does the data actually say about HIV
and Aboriginal People in NSW?
• What does identity really mean to
Aboriginal gay men?
• What does ‘community’ mean in a
community based organisation
• How do we find out?
• Who is asking Aboriginal gay men what
they think?

10. Was this a revolution?
More ‘The law of small change’
•We built on the foundational work that came
before us
•We found time and space in this transition
•We used this time and space for reflection
•We questioned assumptions about self
determination
•We challenged ourselves
•We sought partnership
•We looked more closely at what the data was
telling us…and what is wasn’t…

11. Models of Service Delivery
• Moving beyond the walls of ACON
• Strategic Approach
• Broader Reach
• Effective Use of Resources
• Places individual agency as central
• Responsive rather than reactive
• Structured, evidenced based practice
• New staff structure

12. Partnership
• The question of permission
• A clash of ideas
• Naming it
• Challenges
• Responses
• Growth & Reciprocity

13. The Data
• NSW HIV Notification Data
– Gay and MSM/Intravenous Drug Users
– Late presenters
– Urban Centered
• The Gay Periodic and other
behaviourial data
– Community connected already
– Not much difference

14. Community Engagement
• ACON Projects
• ACON Client Services
ACON is community based organisation -
supposedly we represent a community voice
So how do we start talking to Aboriginal Gay
Men?

15. Why won’t you eat our
Hamburgers?

16. Vegetarian
Celiac
Ethical Food Beliefs
Healthy Eaters
Fine Diners
……….

17. Market Research
Taking a leaf from the corporate world
(!?!)

18. Their Playground, Their Rules

19. Actual playground can look a
little different….

20. Market Research
• Chinese Speaking Gay Men
• SAMS
– Responsive
– Innovative
– Effective

21. Ruby Cha Cha
• Online Space
• Promotion and Incentives
• Conversation – beyond
traditional focus groups and
consultations
• Placing Aboriginal Gay Men
in the picture

22. Identity
The intersectionality of sexual and cultural
identity needs to be explored further
We need to be brave about this exploration
Gay Aboriginal Men need to be driving this
conversation

23. Issues
Testing is central to the new paradigm
There needs to be an incentive to test
Sex has to be to the focus

24. Let me correct that –
HOT SEX has to be the focus

25. Beyond Consultation
Web 2.0 + The Prevention Revolution
=
Ongoing Dialogue

26. Questions?

27. Thank you.