Offer to run a course on HIV/AIDS

Look at your aims and try to consider which groups or people could help you or could create
resistance to your project. For example, police and law enforcement could be a barrier toreaching young people. Contact these authorities and talk to them about your project. Offer to
run a course on HIV/AIDS education for police for example. Try to come to an agreement on
how to encourage the project.“While prevention programmes consisting of AIDS education, condom promotion, needle
exchange and drug treatment have proven effective, strong political determination is now
needed to apply energetic prevention measures and reach out to marginalized people and
their partners [14].”
“Since we are dealing with an excluded and excluding client group, we have difficulties in
convincing the population of the importance of the work, and the need to see users firstly
as citizens and not primarily as users.” Projeto de Reducao de Danos de Itajai There were negative reactions, because people stigmatize drug users. People think that
drug users are delinquents or sick people who we must cure, but neither of these ideas is true.
There are an enormous number of prejudices against users of illegal drugs and the stereotypes
come from all of the institutions of modern society: to the religious, using drugs is a sin, to the
courts it is a crime, and to the health care professionals it is an illness. Another misconception
that some people have is that by handing out injecting equipment, we encourage drug use. We
are not drug traffickers, we are public health agents. I hand out needles because I hope that
the person who is injecting does not contract HIV or Hepatitis and that he can be more happy
given the choices that he has already made. We have a responsibility to protect lives.”
Domiciano Siqueira, Co-ordinator of the Harm Reduction Association of Brazil [4].
The community can be involved in activities of your group such as festivals or activities for
world AIDS day. Encouraging participation of community leaders and stakeholders in events can
enhance support.
Families of IDUs are also important factors to consider. Often, since IDUs will be contacted on
the street through outreach, it will be difficult to have contact to their families, considering
that their confidentiality is a high priority for the programme.
However, when possible, involving the family is a positive step, considering that families often
have many misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and drug use. They may need information or also
referrals to help services and more. They can help youth to learn about safe practices and can
help them through withdrawal and treatment if they have knowledge.