LOTUS PROJECT: A Women's HIV/AIDS Peer Educator Training Project

A National Peer Advocacy Training & Capacity Building Program Targeting Women Living with HIV

The Lotus Project is a collaboration between The Center for Health Training (CHT) and Women Organized to Respond to Life Threatening Disease (WORLD) to develop and implement Peer Advocacy Education and Training around the country. The program works with HIV+ women and provides an opportunity for a women-centered approach to address the disproportionate impact of HIV among women in the US by:

• Providing peer advocate training to HIV+ women who can provide emotional and practical support to other HIV+ women.
• Building partnerships with women centered organizations providing support and advocacy to HIV + women.
• Increasing the capacity of providers to utilize peer educators in multidisciplinary care teams.

Peer Advocate Training

• 5-day training
• HIV+ women peers on training team
• Emphasis on tools & skills
• Case studies, interactive activities, role plays, reflections
• Topics include: communication skills, HIV treatment education, dealing with grief and loss, disclosure, counter-transference, and using personal experience to work with HIV+ clients
• Adapted into Spanish training

"The Lotus Project rejuvenated me, it's made me stronger. I don't mind telling anyone: Hey, look, have you been tested? It's serious business. I'm all about saving—reaching someone to understand that this is real, and it's not going anywhere unless we do or say something about it."

—Lotus Trained Peer Advocate

Building Capacity

The Lotus Project provides capacity building consultations, workshops, and resources to build and expand peer programs targeting women living with HIV. Areas of expertise include:

• Peer supervision
• Hiring & retaining peers
• Identifying funding for peer related activities
• Assessing organizational readiness

Lotus Participants

155 HIV+ women nation-wide have been trained through the Lotus Peer Education Training Project.

• Women from 10 states completed 5-day peer education training
• Youngest participant: 19
• Oldest participant: 67
• 79% women of color (African American, Latina)
• 77% have higher then high school education
• 69% of participants are working or volunteering as peers

"I wasn't "out" before Lotus. It's because of Lotus. I got to learn that I wasn't alone in this and that I could have friends that were positive women and I could sit down and discuss it with them."

—Lotus Graduate

National Collaborating Partner Organizations

The Lotus Project partners with organizations around the country providing education and support to women living with HIV. Partner organizations assist in recruitment, retention, training logistics, and tailoring training to reflect local needs.

California

• Christie's Place — www.christiesplace.org
• Women at Risk — www.womenatrisk.org
• Center for Health Justice — www.healthjustice.net

Georgia

• SisterLove, Inc. — www.sisterlove.org

New York

• SMART Inc. — www.smartuniversity.org

South Carolina

• HopeHealth, Inc. — www.hope-health.org

Texas

• Women Rising Project of AIDS Services of Austin — www.womenrisingproject.org
• Mujeres Unidas Contra el SIDA — www.mujeresunidascontraelsida.org

Washington

• BABES Network — www.babesnetwork.org

"The Lotus Project has been instrumental in providing us the time, the effort and the support which made our work easier. When we talk about collaborations/networks across regions, the Lotus Project's staff has been the supportive shoulders we can depend on."

—Antoinette Barnes Bridge Leadership Program Manager, SisterLove, Inc.

Future Goals and Direction

The Lotus Project has been a vehicle for building a national network of positive women peer advocates in the US. As the Lotus Project moves forward we are continuing to work with our partner organizations to provide capacity building and technical assistance to help them expand and strengthen their peer programs and provide trainings on incorporating peers as part of a multidisciplinary team. We are also seeking ongoing resources to provide additional peer trainings and job placements for peers.

In collaboration with two other Peer Education Training Sites (PETS) and the Peer Education and Evaluation Research Center (PEER Center), Lotus will develop and train organization to replicate our efforts in their community.

For Peer Education Resources visit the PEER Center www.hdwg.org/peercenter

Helpful Materials (click to download)

Lotus Peer Training Handouts:

• In Spanish, password-protected (large PDF: 8 MB)
• In English, password-protected (large PDF: 10 MB)

For Peer Advocates

• Peer Educator Code Of Ethics (PDF 258KB)
• When Is It Ok For A Peer To Break Confidentiality (PDF 142KB)
• Sample Peer/Client Confidentiality Agreement (PDF 144KB)
• Countertransference And How To Deal With It (PDF 682KB)
• 10 Things To Enhance Your Emotional Well-Being If You Are HIV Positive (PDF 182KB)
• First Meeting With A Client — A Sample Form For Peers (PDF 193KB)
• Sample Peer/Client Contact Form (PDF 157KB)
• Am I Ready To Be A Peer Advocate? — Worksheet (PDF 173KB)

For ASOs who work with Peer Advocates:

• Sample Peer Advocate Job Description (PDF 149KB)
• How To Introduce A Peer To Your Clients — Guide For Health Care Providers (PDF 134KB)

For Collaborating Partner Organizations:

• Lotus Curriculum (password protected PDF 7.2 MB)