Bloomsbury Network

FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE GOOD HEALTH OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, PARTICULARLY THOSE ATTENDING THE BLOOMSBURY CLINIC, BUT NOT EXCLUDING OTHERS LIVING WITH OR AFFECTED BY HIV THROUGHOUT ENGLAND AND WALES (INCLUDING THE GENERAL PUBLIC), BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, ADVICE, AND RAISING AWARENESS OF ISSUES PERTAINING TO LIVING WITH HIV AND ITS ASSOCIATED CO-MORBIDITIES, PRIMARILY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH: - EDUCATIONAL FORUMS THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY EDUCATION VIA PRESENTATIONS FROM SPECIALIST SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSION OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN CLINICAL, LEGAL AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL ISSUES PERTAINING TO LIVING WITH HIV;- COURSES AND WORKSHOPS THAT DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, CHALLENGE MISCONCEPTIONS, ALLEVIATE STIGMA AND PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL CAPABILITIES, COMPETENCES, SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING, IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR THOSE NEWLY DIAGNOSED;- COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL EVENTS THAT ALLEVIATE ISOLATION AND PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS AS WELL AS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS DOCUMENT:'PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV' IS DEFINED AS ADULTS OF ANY AGE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR CULTURAL BACKGROUND WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THE HUMAN IMMUNE DEFICIENCY VIRUS FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.'STIGMA' IS DEFINED AS PREJUDICE, NEGATIVE ATTITUDES AND ABUSE DIRECTED AT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS, BASED ON THEIR ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED HEALTH STATUS, INCLUDING NEGATIVE JUDGMENTS THAT RESULT IN FEELINGS OF SHAME, WORTHLESSNESS AND BLAME DIRECTED BY PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV TOWARD THEMSELVES (SELF-STIGMA).