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​Community Programmes provides the interface between community structures, formal and informal, and reproductive health and HIV services. This interaction gives us critical information about community needs and attitudes, which we then translate into relevant interventions that serve the local population.

The aim of Community Programmes is to improve access to clinical and psychosocial services for those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly among marginalised populations, and to prevent HIV transmission by encouraging behavioural and social change. Our services include risk reduction tools; counselling; condom distribution; skills-building; HIV and STI screening and treatment; HIV care and treatment; nutritional advice and lifestyle management; and psychosocial support. An army of peer educators assists with service delivery, providing counselling, education, buddy support and referral.  

Our projects

Community Programmes comprises a number of projects, falling under two discrete portfolios:

1. Clinical outreach services

2. Community Care Centre  

Clinical outreach services

 Clinical outreach services work in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and Gauteng Department of Health to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV and TB, among vulnerable and marginalised communities in the inner city. Methods used include  clinic-based and mobile outreach services, peer education, community events, and workshops and other activities.

The projects:

Men & HIV

The Men & HIV project aims to improve male access to and uptake of sexual health and HIV services  and to identify and initiate other services which are relevant for men’s participation, for example promotion of comprehensive HIV prevention strategies (male circumcision, condom use and key messaging such as reduction in the number of partners). 

We do this by:

• HIV testing campaigns in areas like taxi ranks, hostels, taverns, busy streets, police stations, etc.
• A weekly men’s club that provides a safe environment for discussion of health issues including teen pregnancy, circumcision and gender-based violence
• MSM HIV testing campaign
• Engagement with men and boys through sporting events and special celebrations
• Support groups
• Workshops on HIV and men’s health
• Condom and IEC material distribution
  
  

A men-friendly clinic, staffed by a male nurse and male counsellors, provides:

• STI treatment
• Prostate cancer screening
• TB screening
• HCT
• HIV care and treatment
  
  

Youth-friendly Services

Youth-friendly Services aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health of youth, through facility-based clinic services and outreach programmes including health education.

We achieve this by:

• Providing a model of youth-friendly services at Esselen Clinic in Hillbrow which can be extended to other PHC clinics
• Increasing the uptake of HIV-related services, particularly among young people in the Hillbrow community
• Providing quality clinical care and health education and outreach to youth in the community
  
  

YFS clinical services are supported by youth-led educational activities that simultaneously address young people’s health and developmental needs and interests. Structured family involvement and a well-functioning referral network between healthcare facilities and other youth service providers help to reinforce the messages delivered by the YFS team. The youth-friendly clinic in Esselen Street offers a safe and friendly environment where young people aged 12-22 can access:

• Free HIV counselling and testing
• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) care and treatment
• Support to access social grants
• Family planning services
• Condom distribution and HIV support groups
• ARV provision and wellness
  
  

Women at Risk (Sex Worker Project)

The objective of the Sex Worker Project is to reduce the rate of STIs and HIV transmission by providing STI treatment services which are accessible and acceptable to sex workers, and to increase access to STI/HIV prevention. In addition, we work to improve access to care and treatment for this marginalised and difficult-to-reach group. We provide outreach support services to 22 brothels in the inner city of Johannesburg; and using the mobile clinic we take our services out to street-based sex workers in sex work ‘hotspots’ once a week.

Services include clinical screening and treatment and psychosocial activities such as health education and behaviour change workshops:

• STI treatment and family planning
• HIV counselling and testing
• CD4 screening
• ARV provision  and wellness
• TB testing 
• Pap smear screening
• Treatment of minor ailments
• Counselling and social services support
• Condom and educational material distribution
• Treatment of minor ailments
  
  

Mobile Clinical Outreach Services

The Mobile Clinic Services offer comprehensive reproductive health services, TB screening and treatment for minor ailments to marginalised groups, including refugees and migrants, who have difficulty accessing conventional health care services, in the Johannesburg inner city and beyond. We also support the Gauteng Department of Health and the City of Johannesburg and other stakeholders with the provision of HIV counselling and testing; and we help to establish relevant referral systems within the communities we serve.
Services provided include:

• HIV counselling and testing
• Pap smear screening
• Family planning
• BP monitoring
• TB screening
• CD4 count measurement
  
  

Community Care Centre

The Community Care Centre is a free walk-in service centre catering for HIV-positive people and their families as well as the broader community giving general support, counselling, wellness support, information, advice and referral. The Centre is a partnership involving a large number of NGOs and CBOs who work together to provide a broader range of services than would usually be available in a ‘traditional’ community centre model. The Community Care Centre provides psychosocial support and care to people living with HIV and we provide information, skills training and support on a range of health, HIV prevention, social and economic issues broadly to a needy and deprived inner city community.

The Community Care Centre comprises a number of projects and services:

Paediatric, adolescent and caregiver support

The Paediatrics team is committed to improving the psychosocial health of HIV-positive children, adolescents and their caregivers. The team conducts monthly adolescent and caregiver support groups at five sites in the Johannesburg inner city and Ekurhuleni.

Income generation

The Community Care Centre offers training and development for budding entrepreneurs through  workshops, seminars and individual counselling. Established businesses in need of support for growth and business start-ups will all benefit from the tools and tips on offer. The Centre is also home to a food garden and other community-based income generation projects.

Health talks and workshops

The Centre runs workshops covering a variety of health and rights issues such as nutrition, wellness, HIV/AIDS care and treatment, STIs, TB, English literacy and many other topics of interest. HIV testing is available on site after each workshop.

Social work services 

The Centre has a resident social worker who can assist with problems relating to social grants, housing and other matters of social support. She can also offer individual counselling to clients in need of support with adherence, disclosure and other issues that affect people living with HIV. Regular support groups provide a space where community members can share experiences and learn from each other in a safe, non-threatening environment.  The social worker is available by appointment but drop-in clients are also welcome.

Cyber café

The Community Care Centre has a cyber café which is open to the community at no charge. Clients can choose to receive instruction in basic computer skills or just use the cyber café to browse the internet for employment opportunities, health information, etc.  

Fit for Life, Fit for Work

Fit for Life, Fit for Work youth training programme tackles the interrelated challenges of socioeconomic disadvantage and HIV risk in youth by teaching skills needed to secure employment and reduce risk-taking behaviour. The long-term aim is to impact positively on HIV incidence among programme graduates through improved economic prospects, heightened sensitivity to sexual and reproductive health and rights issues and enhanced self-esteem. Fit for Life, Fit for Work uses participatory methods to teach life skills; improve sensitivity to gender-related issues; improve knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights; and develop necessary job-seeking skills. Graduates are not placed in jobs; they compete in the marketplace using the skills they have learned. But Fit for Life, Fit for Work builds relationships with local employers and alerts graduates to relevant vacancies, then supports the candidate through the application and interview process. To date over 70% of graduates have secured employment or a place in tertiary education.