Young People living with

and affected by HIV in the

UK

Emily Kerr Muir

emily@bodyandsoulcharity.org

Body & Soul

Teen Spirit Population

• 13-19 year old

• = representation male / female

•HIV+ or HIV affected and aware of HIV status

•Predominately BME

•Majority live in London Region, but membership is national

Youth Risk Behaviour Survey

• Independent needs assessment to identify the factors contributing to poor health and social outcomes amongst young people living with and affected by HIV

Family Factors

• 2/3rds of the youth had experienced the death of a parent or sibling.

• More than half of the youth were carers, of which 37% took care of family members for three or more hours a day.

Youth Experience of Violence

• 40% of youth have been in a physical fight in the last year.

• 10 % have carried a weapon in the last month

• 1 in 8 have experienced partner abuse

Sexual Risk Taking

• ½ Sexually active• Amongst sexually active teens:

– >1/4 had sexual debut before 14– ½ sexual debut before 15– Median age for debut is 14– 30.4% have had sex after using drugs or alcohol– 30.4% have either been pregnant or gotten a

partner pregnant– 62.5% always use condoms, 29% sometimes use

condoms, 8.3% never use condoms

What are some of the predictors of risky

behaviour amongst Young people affected by HIV?

• Poverty• Mental illness• Isolation• Social ostracism related to HIV Status• Chronic Illness• Poor health education/ understanding

of personal health

What is Body & Soul doing about this?

• Direct youth services

• Advocacy

• National Campaign to Reduce HIV stigma- Life in my Shoes

Life in

MyShoes

Life in My Shoes

Life in my Shoes is Body & Soul’spioneering and powerful multi-platformcampaign that challenges the fear and

misunderstanding surrounding HIV in the UK. At its

heart, the campaign seeks to promote empathythrough creative mediums that build

understandingof what life is like in someone else’s shoes.

• In 2009 Body & Soul commissioned OPM to carry out research in secondary schools in order to gauge current attitudes about HIV amongst young people in London. One of the key findings from the report was a strong contradiction between what young people know about HIV and how they said they would behave.

• 81% knew HIV could not be transmitted by sharing a cup… But only 27% said they would drink from the same cup as someone who was HIV positive.

• It is clear that facts alone will not be the driving force for change in behaviour.

We set about to challenge this behaviour by having young people

directly affected by this prejudice at the heart of developing the

campaign. These people are living with the impact of a lack of

empathy, all because of a damaged immune system.

How do we engage other young people with LIMS?

1. give them an incentive to get involved

2. create an interactive campaign they can connect to

3. bring it to them

4. get it out there…

here’s how we got on…

UNDEFEATED

The LIMS ACADEMY

“It’s a huge concern that a recent report from the Sex Education Forum showed one in four children are not being taught about HIV inschool.” Nick Gibb, Schools Minister May 2011

Teachers will have access to a range of curriculum-linkedresources including-the film, ‘Undefeated’ -Spotlights – the stories behind the script. A series of short -films shot by Teen Spirit told from a 1st hand perspective.

As well as HIV facts, the resource will follow a 6 UNIT Exploring the following themes:

1. HIV2. Identity3. Myths & Misconceptions 4. Leading a double life, secrets, privacy & trust5. Stigma – how it manifest6. The impact damaging effects of stigma has7. Empathy & social action

Other events & activities aimedto raise the profile ofthe LIMS campaignbeyond the classroom& into the pressand public eye,include a photographyexhibition shot byRankin…

Please join the gallery & be involved…

Or like & follow us on facebook & twitter…@life_inmyshoes - facebook.com/lifeinmyshoescampaign

Emily Kerr Muir emily@bodyandsoulcharity.org