Terms of Reference
See the following section for the Group Agreement
About the network
The Peer Practice Network is a way for HIV Peer Support and Peer Navigation workers to stay in touch and learn the craft of HIV peer work. It is an initiative of the NAPWHA Learning project made possible by an unrestricted educational grant received from Gilead Sciences.
The core activities of the network include:
- A WhatsApp group for daily to weekly exchange of ideas and experiences;
- An e-mail list for roughly monthly updates on training opportunities;
- Occasional webinars on topics of relevance to HIV peer support/navigation workers.
Purposes of the network
- Supporting each other with personal and professional challenges arising in our work.
- Asking and answering questions about issues we don’t feel we fully understand.
- Keeping up to date with learning opportunities from NAPWHA and our partners.
- Sharing and reflecting on new research findings and publications.
- Taking part in research and evaluation activities led by NAPWHA and our partners.
- Contributing to consultation and engagement to identify emerging issues of concern.
- Cultural safety for Indigenous HIV workers, volunteers, clients and communities.
- Cultural responsiveness and health literacy for culturally diverse people and groups.
- Supporting people working and volunteering in small jurisdictions.
- Mentoring recent training graduates and people new to employed/volunteer roles.
Eligibility to participate
Participation is open to anyone currently working or volunteering in an HIV Peer Support or Navigation role, as well as anyone who has completed the HIV Peer Navigation training.
Participants who work or volunteer for an organisation should check with their manager or supervisor to ensure they have permission to take part in the network, and be mindful at all times of your professional boundaries around what you can share with the group.
NAPWHA may remove a participant at any time for any reason. Reasons will be given. If this occurs, the person removed may access NAPWHA’s dispute resolution procedures.
Group Agreement
Confidentiality and legal obligations
- Participants will not share personally identifiable information about clients or community members without getting and documenting permission to do so.
- ‘Personal information’ includes details another person could use to recognise a client or community member: their names, age or age bracket, suburb of residence, diverse gender or sexuality, among other information.
- Remember that our communities are small, and people travel between cities, so even vague details can sometimes identify a client or community member.
- You can change personal details or make them more general to prevent your client being recognisable (e.g. ‘age forty’ might become ‘middle aged’, while ‘nonbinary zie/hir’ might become ‘gender diverse’).
- You can ask clients and community members for permission to share their experiences by saying ‘I would like to discuss this with my colleagues, can I share your issue/experience without giving your identifying details?’
- Always document that you have asked for permission and been granted it.
- Participants will not share details of confidential internal processes at your organisation without obtaining permission from your manager to discuss them.
- Participants will maintain each other’s confidentiality: don’t share what you learn from the network conversation without confirming and documenting that you have permission to do so.
- Participants with a grievance against an organisation will raise it with the organisation rather than using the network to do so.
- Participants will not ‘back channel’ on matters they cannot raise in the main group without violating these Terms of Reference and Group Agreement.
- NAPWHA will take every available measure to ensure security and confidentiality, but participants acknowledge it is not possible to guarantee this 100%. Please consider whether taking part is an acceptable risk in your own circumstances.
How we interact with one another
- Only share what you feel safe to share. Reflect on your boundaries in an ongoing way. Sometimes the conversation can get deep and invite personal sharing. Don’t go beyond sharing ‘green light’ and maybe some ‘orange light’ experiences.
- Listen non-judgmentally and respect the diverse opinions and perspectives shared.
- Use ‘I statements’ to own your lived experience and perspective without suggesting it should be normative for others.
- Acknowledge our privilege as people living with HIV in Australia where we have comparatively excellent access to HIV treatments and services, while acknowledging that people in some communities and smaller jurisdictions have very limited access.
- Show respect for the different ways in which people choose to identify their gender and sexuality — each person is the expert on their own experience.
- Slow down and ensure cultural safety and responsiveness as first priorities whenever we are discussing Indigenous and culturally diverse people and their HIV-related needs and experiences.
- If there is conflict in the conversation, please immediately contact the NAPWHA Learning Project Officer learning@napwha.org.au [mobile number will be shared in the group chat].
How to join
Application form
Click the button above to complete the privacy and consent form and you will be contacted soon afterwards with instructions for joining the network.
Further information
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact:
- Daniel Reeders, NAPWHA Learning project officer (learning@napwha.org.au)