Welcome to SiREN’s E-News. This is your go-to source for the latest sexual health and blood-borne virus related news, resources, 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 & Resources

Hepatitis C Case Study. SiREN and Peer Based Harm Reduction WA (PBHRWA) have developed a case study video that describes PBHRWA’s peer and nurse led outreach approach to providing hepatitis C testing and treatment for people who find it difficult to get access to regular healthcare.

Hepatitis C Video Resource. This video provides important information regarding diagnosis of hepatitis C, and how to access this ground-breaking medication. The video is suitable for all people diagnosed with hepatitis C, and for health professionals working with people living with hepatitis C. The video was commissioned by the Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program, with the project led by HepatitisWA with guidance provided from Aboriginal community members and health service providers.

The Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference Report. The conference took place in September last year. The report provides summaries of the presented research in four key themes; Understanding and identifying HIV and related infections, managing HIV and related infections, preventing HIV and related infections, and social, political and cultural aspects of HIV and related infections.

International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections Asia Pacific Sexual Health Congress Report. This three day congress in Auckland, New Zealand focused on unity and aimed to provide stability and strength to the sexual health workforce and strengthen bonds between specialists, nurses, researchers, health promotion practitioners, educators and other working in Public Health. This report summarises the proceedings of the conference.

The RISE Study. This study is being undertaken by the Kirby Institute at UNSW. It is exploring the experiences and wellbeing of people who have recently been diagnosed with HIV in Australia, with a focus on the role of HIV-specific support services on social and health outcomes. The RISE study is seeking to engage with any person living in Australia who has been diagnosed with HIV since 2016 and is aged 16 years or over. Enrolment is now open.

Interactive Sexual Health App. Emen8 is a new interactive map to help individuals connect with good sexual health services in Australia. It enables individuals to find nearby services, browse for services around the country, search for services by address, city, town or postcode, and find services specific to your needs.

National Condom Day. Celebrate National Condom Day on February 14, an annual state-wide campaign to promote sexual health and respectful relationships. The campaign tagline is Ask First: Communicate and Negotiate. Get involved and order free resources through SHQ.

AHPA WA Branch: 2019 Committee. Nominations for the 2019 AHPA WA Branch committee are now open. Individuals sought for all leadership positions; President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and up to 9 general committee positions. Nominations will be announced at the General Meeting in March.

International Union for Health Promotion (IUPHE) Conference Communications Assistant. This onference is being held in Rotorua from April 7-11 and IUPHE are seeking volunteers to assist in the synthesising of session content. Positions close January 25.

Jobs

SiREN Research Officer - Stakeholder Engagement & Research Collaboration. The SiREN project is a small, growing and dynamic team which is part of the Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health located in Curtin’s School of Public Health. This position will work collaboratively with the Academic Project Lead across a range of activities associated with the successful development and execution of research projects and managing key stakeholders. Applications close February 4.

Aboriginal Education Team Position. SHQ are looking for an Aboriginal Person to join their Aboriginal Education Team. This role will focus on SHQ’s Mooditj program and sexual health education. Expression of interest close January 25

Grants & Scholarships

Professional Development Bursary. The Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Program has funds available to help people employed within government and non-government organisations to attend sexual health and/or blood-borne virus related workforce education and training. People working within WA are eligible to apply for a training bursary.

Training

HIV PrEP Update for GPs and Practice Nurses. Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine. This training will provide an update on strategies available for the prevention of HIV transmission, focusing on prevention, particularly PrEP. To be held on February 19, Perth. There is also a video recording of a WA Department of Health commissioned PrEP training session available to view online.

Introduction to Program Logic. Australian Evaluation Society. This workshop introduces the program logic concept and lays out a step-by-step process for creating a logic model. The workshop will address how this logic model can be used for program design and to be the spine of a monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement framework. February 12, Perth.

SHINE STI Update. Dr Tonia Mezzini presents a free online Clinical Education Forum on the topic of sexually transmitted infections. This forum covers current trends in sexually transmitted infections and includes recent updates to the Australian STI Management Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. This recording will be available for three months only.

Mooditj Leader Training. SHQ. Mooditj Leader Training is designed for Aboriginal community members or people who work with Aboriginal young people in their community. This four day course strengthens knowledge, skills and confidence to run the Mooditj program for groups of young people in the community. March 5-8, Northbridge.

Sexuality and Disability Workshop. SECCA. This workshop explores relationship and sexuality issues, rights and needs of people with disability. February 7, West Perth.

SECCA App Training: Starting Out. SECCA are holding a half-day interactive workshop which will walk you through all the features of the SECCA app. The workshop will show you how to tailor sessions to individual strengths, give you confidence to support people with disabilities with relationships and sexuality issues, and provide a plan for using the SECCA App in your work. February 18, West Perth.

Conferences & Events

West Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector Conference. This conference will focus on the theme - Lead the Way, Challenge the Possibilities, Imagine the Future. The Conference will promote the journey of the sector so far, the successes along the way and plans for the future of Aboriginal holistic health care delivery. March 26-28, Fremantle.

National Rural Health Conference. National Rural Health Alliance. This conference focuses on improving health outcomes in rural and remote Australia. March 24-27, Hobart.

IUPHE Conference. The theme of this conference is promoting planetary health and sustainable development for all and it will focus on the contribution of health promotion to the sustainable development goals. Rotorua, April 7-11.

Public Health Prevention Conference 2019. The conference theme is ‘Smashing the Silos’ and it will address the economics of prevention; and ask what is working, what needs to be strengthened and what are the biggest gaps in prevention systems. Abstracts open January 7. June 12-14, Melbourne.

2019 Australasian HIV and Sexual Health Conferences. After nearly 10 years, Perth will again host these conferences. The Sexual Health Conference will be held from September 16-18 and the HIV Conference will be held from the September 17-19. Be sure to save the date now! Abstracts will open in February and registrations in March. Don't forget SiREN can assist you to prepare your abstract.

International Evaluation Conference 2019. International Evaluation Society (AES). A call for conference proposals for the ‘Evaluation un-boxed’ conference is now open. With a future-focused theme, AES encourage papers which draw on the knowledge of communities and other disciplines to expand evaluation and ensure its ongoing relevance, and provide a network for evaluation-related fields in Australia, New Zealand and the Australasian region. September 16-18, Sydney.