Social work faculty provide HIV/AIDS training in Caribbean
Through joint efforts of the Florida State University College of Social Work and the Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas (FAVACA), Drs. Neil Abell and Pat Lager provided training to volunteers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to support their efforts assisting people impacted by HIV/AIDS.
“We view people who volunteer to provide care for people who are highly stigmatized to be very courageous, dedicated and compassionate,” Neil Abell, director of the College of Social Work’s International Programs, said. “The challenge is helping them stay with it for the long term, because the pressure can be intense.”
The five-day training focusing on aiding volunteers associated with the House of Hope Society, marked the beginning of a new partnership between the Society and College of Social Work. However, both Dr. Abell and Dr. Lager (founder of the College’s International Programs) have visited and worked in this part of the Caribbean previously, providing extensive support in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the region. The region has one of the highest concentrations in the world of people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Participation in the training sessions included in the training were volunteers, staff, administrators, community leaders and staff from cooperating agencies, coming from St. Vincent, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago. Activities included: role play scenarios to practice counseling skills, observing crisis assessment and response techniques, and introspection exercises to gain insight into participants’ own beliefs and potential bias/discrimination about HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Abell expresses his belief that the training was challenging and rewarding, and overall well-received. The expectation is that the College and its faculty will continue to return to the Caribbean to offer future HIV/AIDS training.