CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

2018 SiREN Symposium: Abstracts submissions and travel grants close soon! 
Abstracts are invited from practitioners, researchers, clinicians, policy makers and students working or volunteering in any field related to sexual health, STIs and BBVs. We strongly encourage abstracts from rural and regional WA, and have a generous travel grants program available to eligible applicants. Abstract submissions and travel grant applications close next Wednesday 28 February, all information can be found on the SiREN Symposium webpage.  Assistance on abstracts and travel grant applications is available by emailing Myra Robinson, SiREN Research Officer on Monday or Tuesday next week. 

2018 SiREN Symposium: Keynote speakers update
We have had confirmation from a number of national keynote speakers for the SiREN Symposium 2018.  

  • Associate Professor James Ward, Head of Infectious Diseases Research Program- Aboriginal Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).
  • Dr Joseph Doyle, Deputy Program Director, Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute. (Replacing previously announced keynote Professor Margaret Hellard, who has an engagement overseas)
  • Professor Rebecca Guy, Program Head, Surveillance Evaluation & Research Program, Kirby Institute. 
  • Professor Martin Holt, Research Coordinator, Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales.

More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks, details can be found on the SiREN Symposium webpage. 

SiREN Symposium Satellite Event - RSE After School Seminar 
The Curtin Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Project is coordinating a workshop on "Ideas for teaching STIs & safe sex to young people" on May 17, 2018. This FREE event is being held in conjunction with the SiREN Symposium, and is suitable for anyone who delivers sexuality and relationships education within schools. For further details and to register, please click here. 

DoH STI and BBV quarterly forum 
The next forum will be held on Wednesday 7 March 2018 from 9.00am – 11.30am at the Lecture theatre, Grace Vaughan House, 227 Stubbs Terrace, Shenton Park. The agenda and more details can be found on the DoH website. 

TRAINING

AHCWA Birds and BBVs training 
The Birds and the BBVs is a two day training course which aims to bring together Aboriginal Health Workers and others who work with Aboriginal people to increase their knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to yarn with clients and community about STIs, HIV and BBVs. Please click on the following for information on the Kalgoorlie Course on 21 & 22 March and the Bunbury course on 13 & 14 June. 

Mooditj Leader Training
Held in Perth from 12 - 16 March, this training is designed for Aboriginal community members or people who work with Aboriginal young people in their community. This hands-on course builds knowledge, skills and confidence to run the Mooditj program for groups of young people, with our Aboriginal Educators providing follow-up support. More information available on the SHQ website. 

RELATE professional development for teachers 
RELATE is a respectful relationships education program for secondary schools developed by SHQ (Sexual Health Quarters). SHQ is seeking expressions of interest for a 1-day RELATE professional development for teachers on Monday 16 April 2018. To register your interest or find out more, please visit the SHQ Website.

The RSE Teacher Project – Term 1 Webinar
True Relationships & Reproductive Health are facilitating an online webinar - ‘Teaching puberty to children with disability’ on Tuesday 20th March, 4.00pm – 5.30pm. For more information and to register please click here.

Research Skills seminar series - Introductory Biostatistics
The next webinar from the Health Department’s Research Skills Seminar Series covers the topic Introductory Biostatistics will be held on Friday 23 February at 12.30 – 1.30 pm in 410:307 (Curtin Medical School). For further information and registration please click here.

Advocacy workshop: Writing to influence
Presented by Know Injury on 27 March, this workshop will provide participants with the confidence and tools to write persuasively including establishing authority as an expert, knowing your audience, explore essential content to include and how to structure arguments. Click here for more information and to register.

PHAIWA advocacy short course
Run from 12 - 16 March, this interactive course will equip participants with the skills and confidence to do advocacy in their work and everyday life. Visit the PHAIWA website for more information.

Boundary setting and protective behaviours workshop
SECCA’s upcoming Boundary Setting and Protective Behaviours Workshop will be held on Thursday, 15th March 2018. If you would like more information or to register for this workshop, please visit the SECCA Website.

NEWS

Gonorrhoea in young heterosexual people in Perth Study
This research project aims to understand how and why gonorrhoea notifications amongst non-indigenous females are increasing in WA. Up to 20 people will be recruited to participate in short telephone interviews from sexual health clinics and GP clinics. We are seeking heterosexual, non-Aboriginal males and females aged between 18-34 years. If your clinic can assist us in recruiting patients for this study or you’d like further information on the study and eligibility criteria, we would be delighted to hear from you, please email josephine.shearer@curtin.edu.au. 

Hepatitis B talking books
St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne have developed the 'Hepatitis B Story' to support health workers in a discussion about chronic hepatitis B with patients who have low health literacy levels. The books are available in English, Urdu, Khmer, Hindi, and Thai. Hard copies are also available. For more information, please click here. 

Seeking abstracts - Health Promotion for Indigenous Youth: Priorities, Strategies, and Evidence
Hosted on Frontiers, a community-based academic publishing site, this evidence base seeks to build upon existing evidence for culturally tailored health promotion programs for Indigenous youth. More information is available here.

2017 HIV & AIDS and Sexual Health Conference - Presentations now available for viewing
Presentations from last year's conference are now available for viewing. Topics include: PrEP, working with migrant communities, innovations in practice, and reproductive health for young people. To view, please click here.

Health Consumer Survey
The state government is undertaking a review of WA’s health system called the Sustainable Health Review.  Its purpose is to put WA health on a sustainable footing by putting patients first and driving efficiencies and change. As part of this process, The Health Consumer Council of WA has released a survey to help ensure the voices of ordinary West Australians are heard. For more information and to complete the survey please click here.

JOBS

WA AIDS Council - Case Manager - HIV & Ageing  
With a growing population of people living with HIV who are ageing, the Clinical Services Department has considered it a priority to employ a Case Manager who has specific knowledge of the aged care sector and can navigate the pathways alongside clients. Applications for this position will close Tuesday 6th March 2018. For more information please see the WAAC website. 

AFAO Senior Research Officer
The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) is looking for a Senior Research Officer to implement a strategy that enables AFAO and Australia’s state and territory AIDS Councils to facilitate more meaningful and informed partnerships between researchers and HIV community Organisations. Applications close 26 February. For more information, please visit the AFAO website. 

University of Canberra - Associate Professor and Discipline Lead- Public Health
The University of Canberra is seeking an experienced Discipline Lead and Associate Professor in Public Health to provide leadership on professional matters, teaching and research within the Discipline. Applications close 15 March. For more information please click here.