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VACountry

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) is proud to introduce VACountry, our Bendigo-based program serving the Loddon Mallee Region. VACountry will provide community-led health promotion initiatives that support our vision of a future without HIV, and a world where all sexually and gender diverse people live with dignity and equal rights, participating fully in our society. We will be engaging with LGBTI and other communities to address stigma and discrimination, with a focus on prevention of blood borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections. VACountry will also provide a range of support for people living with and affected by HIV and viral Hepatitis. Over the next few months we hope to have a vibrant program running from the Community Hub space at 34 Myers Street, Bendigo. The program will focus on the development of health promotion activities, peer education and social support groups for LGBTI people and community support programs for people living with HIV.

VAC is working with both Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) and the Country Awareness Network (CAN) to establish services in the area. CAN has done amazing work in this area for over 20 years, and first and foremost we want to celebrate and congratulate the organisation for everything it has achieved. We’re stepping into some big shoes and VAC is already working closely with the CAN Board and former staff on making the transition as smooth as possible, particularly around the delivery of key services. We’re also hoping to keep the current CAN office as an LGBTI community hub. Current CAN members are also being offered free VAC memberships.

VACountry will offer free confidential information, advice and support to the general community, both individuals and organisations, by telephone, email or in person. Our project staff and volunteers can assist in a number of ways such as providing referral information to a range of other general and specialist service providers including support groups, social groups, sexual health and other wellbeing services.

We will be working closely with DAC, BCHS, Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-Operative, Bendigo Health, Headspace, Cobaw Community Health, La Trobe University Queer Department, Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health and other providers locally to ensure we meet the needs of our community.Over the next few months we hope to create a presence in the local area and develop relationships at a grassroots level. We will be planning a number of peer education events, forums and workshops that will look at programs for young gay men, healthy relationships, HIV-prevention technologies such as PrEP, drug use in the community as well as new treatment options for Hepatitis C.The key messages through all of our work will be harm reduction and HIV prevention. VAC will ensure that our social marketing campaigns will be integrated and adapted to target communities living in regional and rural areas. VAC will also be delivering inclusive practice training across the region to support organisations to develop services that are inclusive of LGBTI people. This training will help practitioners and providers to understand the needs of LGBTI community consumers, and support organisations to improve existing services to meet those needs.

We will be running forums that aim to educate the community around blood-borne virus prevention, treatment and support. Volunteers are an integral part of how we deliver our programs and we will be holding information sessions and training programs to support volunteers in the area.

Check the calendar for the latest VACountry events.

Check VACountry out on Facebook.

Volunteering Opportunities

We hope that going forward we will have opportunities for volunteers for different roles. Full training and ongoing support and up skilling will be provided for the roles.

  • Admin support
  • Community events and social venue outreach
  • Peer education facilaitor
  • Community and home support for people living with HIV

VACOUNTRY have a project lead based in Bendigo. Contact: harry.mcanulty@vac.org.au or 0437 004 680