HIV Basic Training
HIV Basic Training covers the facts about HIV and AIDS. The training is free to all community members and can be adapted to meet the needs of any group, including employers and community organizations seeking education about HIV and AIDS. Nebraska AIDS Project staff acknowledges and respects each individual’s or group’s opinions and beliefs as we provide education in a nonjudgmental manner. HIV Basic training provides participants with the unique opportunity to learn about HIV/AIDS from experienced professionals so that they are able to communicate accurate information to their families and peers in an effort to prevent the further spread of HIV and its stigma.
Each training session includes:
- a brief history of HIV and AIDS
- education about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and how it is transmitted
- education on how to prevent HIV transmission
- discussion on treatment of HIV and AIDS
- current statistics and trends
- HIV testing
- debunking misconceptions about HIV and AIDS
Popular Opinion Leader (POL)
Popular Opinion Leader is a community-level HIV prevention intervention program that identifies, enlists and trains the help of key opinion leaders to change risky sexual norms and behaviors in the gay community. POL is based on diffusion of innovation/social influence principles, which state that trends and innovations are often initiated by a relatively small segment of opinion leaders in the community. Once innovations are visibly modeled and accepted, they then diffuse throughout a population, influencing others. Trained opinion leaders correct misconceptions, discuss the importance of HIV prevention, describe strategies to reduce personal risk and recommend that peers adopt safer sex behaviors through conversations within their community. For more information contact Gary Winingham at (402) 552-9260 or at garyw@nap.org
