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 highly stigmatized people 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 the College of Social Work. However, Dr. Abell and Dr. Lager (founder of the College’s International Programs) have previously visited and worked in this part of the Caribbean, 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.
Participants in the training sessions included volunteers, staff, administrators, community leaders, and staff from cooperating agencies 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 discrimination about HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Abell expresses his belief that the training was challenging and rewarding, and overall well-received. The College and its faculty are expected to return to the Caribbean to offer future HIV/AIDS training.