Young HIV volunteers in the UK
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The British Red Cross encourages groups of young people all around the UK to come up with creative ideas to raise awareness, fight discrimination and stigma. Projects involving video, photography and drama are just some of the events being run by groups of students and schools across the UK.
Tom Ewence (20), from Southampton | Top |
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| Tom has been a volunteer for the Red Cross for three years. His work has taken him to Prague in the Czech Republic where he recently took part in a HIV peer education workshop with other Red Cross volunteers from around the world. | | |  | |
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Tom is dedicated and enthusiastic about his role and is keen to see more activity in the UK to raise awareness of HIV, particularly amongst young people.
"World Aids Day is a great opportunity for young people to find out more about HIV and how it could affect them. I hope HIV awareness messages are promoted in schools and through the media on the day."
Through his volunteer work, Tom wants to encourage more young people to train as Red Cross peer educators.
"Most of the young people I speak to have a very limited awareness of HIV. If more people volunteered for the Red Cross it would help increase everyone's understanding of HIV which would help reduce the discrimination that people living with HIV face."
Ehtesham Habib (20) lives in west London | Top |
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 | | | Ehtesham volunteers at a befriending project for young people in west London, which provides young refugees and asylum seekers with advice and support. Through his work he often speaks to young people who are concerned about HIV. | |
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"The young people I meet don't really know enough about HIV and many are confused about the risks."
Ehtesham worries that people living with HIV in the UK face discrimination as a result of this misunderstanding.
"People are often confused about how they can contract HIV. Some young people worry that they can get HIV by drinking water or by getting close to someone who is HIV positive. I want to encourage people to learn more about HIV so they know the risks and understand how to prevent it."
Find out about volunteer opportunities for young people | |
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