HYPE Program

 

HYPE Program honoured with award for innovative leadership for the HIV/AIDS community

The HIV+ Youth Peer Engagement (HYPE) Program, a service led by the AIDS Committee of Durham Region (ACDR), is being recognized for innovative leadership for the HIV/AIDS community. HYPE supports HIV+ youth as they transition from pediatric care into the adult HIV health care system through peer support and programming.

HYPE was established in 2011 after the ACDR identified the unique challenges of HIV+ youth. Kids were aging out of pediatric care without a social support network, systems navigation knowledge, or an understanding of services and resources. A minor may receive warm, holistic, and subsidized health care that is entirely facilitated by the adults in their family; however, the HIV care system is considerably more fragmented and daunting for a young person to navigate in early adulthood. These difficulties are compounded with the fundamental changes in cognitive development and emotional needs during the transition from teenage years to adulthood. To address these needs, HYPE builds emotional capacity and reduces social isolation by connecting HIV+ youth with each other and with older peers that have lived experience in HIV care systems.

Through these social connections, youth are empowered to advocate for their own health while being coached by peers. With these networking and mentoring opportunities, individuals are empowered to become new leaders for the next up-and-coming generation of HIV+ adults continuing the cycle of community-led care. Furthermore, the program collaborates with HIV health professionals on how they can better support young clients as they are transitioning between care streams.

HYPE facilitates peer relationships with youth, organizes education and social events, and hosts yearly retreats. Its first youth retreat took place in 2018 in Orillia, where participants could engage in fun activities and connect with a group of companions with shared lived experience. These experiences are especially valuable for this population, who is particularly susceptible to internalize HIV-related discrimination if they become isolated. HYPE’s programming circumvents this by fundamentally honouring the two shared identities of being a young person and living with HIV.  With ongoing participation, young people living with HIV feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Building community capacity is a necessary step to ensure that youth do not fall into clinical gaps of care that could impact their futures. The HYPE program is a commendable grassroots initiative that has increased accessibility and awareness of resources for young people living with HIV. Casey House extends warm congratulations to the HYPE program and AIDS Committee of Durham Region with a Casey Award.