Waverley Care
Children & young people affected by HIV & HepC
Children and young people living with or affected by HIV and Hepatitis C can face many challenges which can be made worse by the stigma linked to the conditions. Waverley Care want your help to fund one year of peer support groups for our amazing children and young people.
It ran from 12:00 PM, 3 December 2019 to 12:00 PM, 10 December 2019
Registered Charity in Scotland (SC036500)
By attending the group I’d say I've grown in confidence, and now accept who I am. Through the group I’ve met lots of people and I realised that everyone finds their own way to cope. I don’t want HIV to be a burden.
— Jacob who attended the Waverley Care POZ Youth Group
It's not just about teaching those who don't have HIV not to be afraid of us. It's about teaching those with the HIV that we are worthy. I don't want anyone else to cry themselves to sleep at night because they feel dirty, diseased, unimportant, dangerous or unlovable. Because that is not true.
— Steph who attended the Waverley Care POZ Youth Group
Situation
The children and young people supported by Waverley Care are either HIV positive themselves or living in families affected by HIV or hepatitis C. They experience low self-esteem, poor behaviour, poor attainment at school and social isolation. HIV and hepatitis C remain highly stigmatised conditions, and our children and young people are fearful of judgement and rejection by their peers. Many of these young people live a life of secrecy and are not able to be their authentic selves.
Solution
By coming to a Waverley Care to peer support groups our children and young people meet others like them, in a safe environment where they can build confidence, resilience and make new friends. Through these groups, our staff work with individual children and young people, helping them overcome behavioural issues which are often associated with difficult home circumstances.
