Welcome to SiREN’s E-News. This is your go-to source for the latest sexual health and blood-borne virus related news, training, conferences, events, funding opportunities, jobs, and more. If you have something you would like to share via our E-News let us know.

Don’t forget SiREN is here to assist you with your evaluation and research activities. We can help you write funding applications, draft conference abstracts, plan and evaluate your program, and develop evaluation strategies such as writing surveys or running focus groups. Support is free but there are a few criteria we require you to meet. Start a conversation with the SiREN team by emailing siren@curtin.edu.au or phoning us on 9266 7819.

NEWS AND RESOURCES

SHBBV Program Planning Toolkit, 2nd Edition. SiREN. This resource provides step-by-step guidelines for planning, implementing and evaluating your sexual health and blood-borne virus (SHBBV) projects. The second edition contains updated information, examples, links and templates that you can work through systematically to build a solid project plan which can be evaluated. The Toolkit is supported by a series of six videos that introduce the Toolkit and guide you through each of its five stages.

Consultation on the new SHBBV Strategies. The Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus (SHBBV) Program, WA Department of Health, is undertaking consultation to inform the development of the WA SHBBV Strategies 2019-2023 and invites WA health professionals and community members to participate in online and/or face-to-face consultations to inform the actions and priorities for the period of the strategies. For more information, or to complete the online survey, please visit here.

Health Promotion Practitioner Registration. IUHPE. Health Promotion professionals across Australia can now apply to become a Registered Health Promotion Practitioner. By registering you will be able to demonstrate to employers that you meet internationally recognised competencies and professional standards in health promotion.

Australian Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) Survey 2013-2017 Report. Kirby Institute. The new 2013-2017 National Data Report is available now on the Kirby Institute website.

Young + Positive Study – Open for Recruitment. This national study seeks to explore how young people living with HIV relate to their own health, living with HIV, and the supports and services that are available to them. People aged 18-29, who have been diagnosed with HIV and live in Australia are invited to complete the online survey here. For more information, please visit the Young + Positive website.

Posters and Video Messages, from Our Mob, for Our Mob. Young Deadly Free. New videos and posters have been created with communities across Australia to educate young people and others about the Young Deadly Free message in a fresh and engaging way.

Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Persons Diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection. WHO. These guidelines aim to provide evidence-based recommendations on the care and treatment of persons diagnosed with chronic HCV infection. They update the care and treatment section of the WHO Guidelines for the screening, care and treatment of persons with hepatitis C infection issued in April 2016.

Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference.  ASHM. Weren’t able to get along to the recent conference in Adelaide? Access reports from the conference here, and presentations, abstracts and audio recordings here. Or you might like to read a Hepatitis NSW wrap up here.

HIV and Mobility Forum Full Report. WA AIDS Council. The goal of the HIV and Mobility Forum was to provide a collaborative space for discussing the priority actions needed for HIV in mobile populations in Western Australia.  It also aimed to explore the creation of a Community of Practice for Action on HIV and Mobility in WA (CoPAHM WA).

TRAINING

How to Win Friends and Influence Policy. PHAA. Register to hear from prominent speakers who will provide insights from their unique perspectives. The speakers will discuss what health professionals can do to ensure their messages are considered in inquiries and consultations, as well as practical tips on writing submissions. 4 October, Perth.

HIV PrEP Update for GPs and Practice Nurses. ASHM. This training will provide GPs, Nurses, and Health Professionals working in primary care an update on strategies available for the prevention of HIV transmission, focusing on prevention particularly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). 10 October, Perth.

The Birds and the BBVs Training. AHCWA. This two day training course is for people interested in increasing their knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to yarn with Aboriginal clients and community about testing for STIs, HIV, and BBVs. 10-11 October, Perth and 16-17 October, Bunbury.

Relationships Education Workshop. SECCA is delivering this professional development workshop for parents, carers, students, teachers and health professionals. It will discuss ways to teach the best practice of sexuality and relationships education, dating, healthy relationships, consent, rejection and break ups. 18 October, Perth.

Clinical Education Forums - Syphilis Update. SHINE SA in conjunction with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network and Adelaide Sexual Health Clinic present a Clinical Forum on the topic of Syphilis. This recording is available for free and access is limited to three months only. This forum covers recent trends in syphilis infection, syphilis serology and current recommendations for treatment. Listen here.

GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Fortescue Community Grants. Small grants are available to support community projects within Port Hedland, East Pilbara, Ashburton and Karratha. Eligibility is determined on set criteria. Find out more here. Applications open 1-30 September.

World AIDS Day 2018 Small Grant. WA AIDS Council. The Sexual Health & Blood-Borne Virus Program is providing a limited number of small grants, to enable relevant providers in regional/remote areas of Western Australia to conduct events and run projects during AIDS Awareness Week (26-30 November 2018) or on World AIDS Day (1 December 2018). Applications close 15 October.

2019 Impact Philanthropy Application Program. Perpetual’s Impact Philanthropy Application Program allows philanthropists and not-for-profits (NFP) to connect, and allows NFPs to demonstrate how they improve outcomes for the communities in which they operate. Applications close 7 December.

JOBS

Senior Medical Advisor. Communicable Disease Control Directorate. The Public and Aboriginal Health Division are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified, enthusiastic and dynamic individual to the position of Senior Medical Advisor. The Senior Medical Advisor will provide public health medical and epidemiological support in the Communicable Disease Control Directorate and expertise to state-wide communicable disease surveillance and prevention and control programs, particularly the notifiable disease system. Closing date: 8th October 2018. For more information click here.

PhD Scholarship. Curtin University. This three year scholarship is part of a four year Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project. It is available to a strong applicant with an interest in research among culturally and linguistically different people, in the area of sexual health. Applications close 1 October.

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Fairground Conference 2018. Hosted by YACWA, the Fairground Conference takes place every two years as an opportunity for the youth sector to network, share ideas and common experiences whilst focusing on state-wide issues of importance to young people and the sector. 11-12 October, Perth.

IUSTI Asia Pacific Sexual Health Congress. This event is a joint meeting between the International Union for Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) - Asia Pacific, and the NZ Sexual Health Society and the Australasian Sexual Health Alliance. It will provide an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary networking and discuss challenges and opportunities in sustainable sexual health service delivery. 1-3 November, Auckland.

25th Symposium of World Professional Association for Transgender Health. This symposium is dedicated to training professionals in the field, and to the dissemination of scientific research and sharing of clinical practice expertise to network and establish new collaborations. 3-6 November, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2018 Youth Health Conference. “Owning Future Change” is the premiere Australian interdisciplinary conference. Hosted by the Australian Association for Adolescent Health in partnership with the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association. This conference is for young people, researchers, clinicians, health workers and educators who work to improve, promote and advocate for the health and well-being of young people. 7-9 November, Surfers Paradise.