Executive Director's Report

Fiscal 2010/2011

I can't believe another year has come and gone so quickly! Even more, I can't believe VARCS is in it's 20th year of providing practical, emotional and social support to people who have HIV, their caregivers and community education. I wish I could say that in this 20th year, we are no longer needed, unfortunately that is not so. Instead, I am grateful we continue to exist and remain flexible to meet the changing needs of our members.

I will begin by thanking VARCS' Board of Directors. They have been few in number but huge in heart, dedication and commitment. Their belief in what we do as well as the trust and support they continually provide staff makes VARCS an amazing place to work. This in turn is passed on to our members and clients, the most important people!

I have the good fortune to come to work with colleagues, Barb and Brittney, who are so compassionate, knowledgeable and who possess exceptional skills. As we know, this work can be difficult to say the least. Having a team that goes above and beyond the call of duty, and as well make meaningful and trusting relationships with our members/clients, service providers and other community groups allows more energy to be applied to our mission. It is an honour to come to work knowing your team is proficient, talented, competent and has a unique flair to deal with situations that can be rare, out of the blue and issues that one would never even think of needing to work out solutions for! Their dedication to those we work with is evident daily, with the support they provide, whether they are facing large scale issues or a short conversation on the phone with someone in crisis. I must also add, the sense of humour exhibited by Barb and Brittney provides a very balanced work environment. I cannot say enough about our staff, but will end with a heartfelt thank you; for who you are, all you do and making it a pleasure to come to work daily!

VARCS would not be able to do all we do without the volunteers who give their time so freely! I thank each and everyone of them. From Hugh who has been our "website wizard" for the past several years, to all the people who assist us with our annual AIDS Walk, those who donate items we use daily and those who have given us cheques regularly, thank you for the special qualities that you have graced VARCS with over many years!

We have many community partners and supporters as well. We cannot do all we do by ourselves and it is through their dedication and passion that we are able to work as a community team. These include the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), the other two AIDS agencies in Victoria, Vancouver Island Persons' with AIDS Society (VIPWAS) and AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI). There are so many more that I cannot name them all but they range from health care facilities, shelters and drop ins, housing programs, and a range of other service providers. We also would like to acknowledge and thank the City of Victoria and the Victoria Police Department for their support as well!

Most important, I thank our members and clients. You are why we are here. It is an honour to be allowed into your lives and earn the trust you have put in us. It is for all of you we remain flexible and innovative to meet your diverse and changing needs. Again, it has been a privilege to have been here another year!

FUNDING

VARCS was able to begin fiscal year 2010/11 with our contract renewed for one year. It was definitely a relief as the current funding climate was so uncertain we were concerned about budget cuts. However, our contract was handled very quickly and we thank the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) for providing us with a very quick turnover, saving us from stress and uncertainty and allowing us to move into the new fiscal year!

During the this year we also exhausted the grant we received from the Vancouver Foundation. This grant enabled us to employ a second person for the Mobile X. This position also assisted clients with referrals. In a survey we did, using four groups of ten, fewer than eight people said they follow through with verbal referrals alone. We saw this as a major gap in services. This second position allowed our staff person to accompany an individual to the required service, introduce them to the staff which helped the client to feel comfortable with the service and the staff, ensured they got there for the initial appointment and resulted in greater accessibility to needed service, utilizing the service and supports already established in the community. Our clients were then able to move along the service continuum if needed. This demands on this position was great in the community right away and exceeded all our expectations.

Providing this did not come without challenges. The grant enabled us to pay a staff person for 12 hours a week. Challenges included not enough hours/week for someone to be able to reach all the clients requesting the service while assisting on the mobile needle exchange. It was also extremely difficult retaining staff to stay in the position as there weren't enough hours for a person to sustain a living. Even after we found extra funds to extend the position to 18 hours a week, by August, 2010, we were on our fifth staff person in the position. This proved difficult not just for the time and energy to orientate new people in the job, but was most difficult on our clients. Consistency is very important to our clients as well as to the staff at the services they utilize.

Luckily, with the success of our AIDS Walk for Life in September of 2010, we were able to retain our Access/Support worker full time until the end of the fiscal year in March, 2011.

Throughout the year we worked with VIHA, requesting an increase in our funding to keep the position come the new fiscal year, April 2011. Since the mobile exchange began in September, 2003 it has been operated by one staff person and relied on volunteers to help. For several reasons, safety and efficient service being the most important, we believed it was essential to have two employees operating the Mobile X.

I am very happy to report the success we have enjoyed over the year of having a second full time staff person on the mobile exchange. And I am very pleased to say that we received excellent news from VIHA last spring: we would be starting the new fiscal year with full time funding to retain our Mobile X Access/Support Worker! It was a great way to end the year and look forward to the new year! As great as it is to have the second support worker, VARCS will continue to seek funding to expand our services to meet the needs of all people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Fundraising & Events

National AIDS Walk for Life

VARCS continues to participate in the National AIDS Walk for Life. During one week every September, AIDS Walks take place in communities across Canada. Over past, it has been challenging garnering support and participation in our AIDS walks. Last year we tried something new. We changed the walk to a mid-week evening candle light walk. This change dramatically increased participation, so we are keeping the same format this year! This year's walk was not only a huge success with amount of people who turned out to join us (even in the rain!) but, we were graced with the MAC Cosmetics staff team join us. With the combined energies and commitment of so many, we not only had the best turnout, we also raised the most money ever! The MAC team's pledges were matched by the MAC AIDS FUND dollar for dollar. Our Program Coordinator Barb is also the Pacific representative on the national AIDS Walk for Life committee. Through Barb's hard work she was able to raise a lot of money and support as well! VARCS also went "high tech"! Having a safe on-line method made it easier for people to donate. Barb and the MAC team also held a "Burger & Beer" fundraiser which included a silent auction. The Gorge Point Pub generously donated their space for the event. There are so many people and organizations who helped the Walk this year be the success is was! We gratefully extend our appreciation and thanks to them all!

Makeover & Reveal

Barb won a very special gift for herself. However, Barb, being the person she is and with her dedication to raising funds for VARCS turned what was to be "her night in the spotlight" into a fundraiser for VARCS. I believe it was the first time the organizers of this annual event had someone request that. Barb was determined to share her gift with VARCS, and indeed she did. Through a silent auction and donations Barb's special night was also a very generous night for VARCS! Thank you Barb!

World AIDS Day

VARCS held the fourth annual "Red Ribbon Campaign" once again on Dec 1st at the Victoria Salmon Kings home game. This year, the ever ready and energetic MAC team joined us for this event. We handed out ribbons to people as came through the doors as well as all the staff. We had a table with lots of information and the campaign was again a fun and interesting way to spread awareness and information about HIV/AIDS. We did not know at the time it would be our last time holding this event with the Victoria Salmon Kings. We thank the Victoria Salmon King organization and Save On Foods Memorial Arena for their support over the years for this campaign. We hope to continue the red ribbon campaign with the new league and team, the Victoria Royals.

On December 1st to honour World AIDS Day, 100.3 the Q radio station dedicated an hour of requests to remember people who have passed and create awareness of HIV/AIDS. If anyone was able to hear the show, they would have heard people call in to request songs in memory of those they have lost. It was quite emotional listening to them speak about how HIV/AIDS has touched their lives. Hearing their experiences and song selections was incredibly moving.

As well on World AIDS Day, I was interviewed by Al Ferraby from CFAX 1070. He provided us with a generous amount of time on air and asked some really pertinent questions. The show allowed a large and diverse audience to hear how HIV/AIDS is still an important health issue.

Through the week leading up to World AIDS Day and on World AIDS Day, we had a message on the large sign outside the Save On Foods Memorial Arena. The sign was designed by Morgan "Dangerboy" McConnell, whose art creates HIV/AIDS awareness has been nationally recognized.

VARCS Mobile X—Mobile Needle Exchange

The Mobile X has been operating since 2003. Since the beginning "pilot" stage, the exchange has far exceeded expectations!

The Mobile X began as a trial service to fill a gap in services during the day while AIDS Vancouver Islands fixed site exchange was closed. Right from the beginning, the experimental service was a huge success. Not only were we able to meet the needs of individuals requiring harm reduction services during the day, we tapped into the hidden substance use populations. These are people who have homes, maintain jobs and in some cases have children. A large majority of this population avoided accessing any services for harm reduction, or for any issues including health, for fear of the risk of losing their employment or children. They live in fear of the stigma that is still so prevalent regarding substance use. For most of those we saw, including new clients, it was the first time they exchanged equipment, sought medical assistance and accessed detox/treatment programs.

VARCS works with other needle exchange services in the community as well as VIHA to continue providing comprehensive and thorough harm reduction services throughout the Capital Region. We continue to reach out to those who are substance users and rely much on word of mouth to be able to meet with as many as possible, Victoria is still without a replacement fixed site needle exchange.

Throughout the year VIHA street nurses as well as other service providers have accompanied the Mobile X, creating access and building relationships with clients for more comfort in utilizing existing services. VARCS has played key roles in many supportive ways to our Mobile X clients. This includes assisting with housing, detox, treatment, counselling, income assistance, victim services, mental and physical health access and much more.

The Mobile X also responds to calls from the communities business' and other locations to assist with needle pick up, education and referrals.

Distribution & Collection

This fiscal year VARCS distributed 89,872 needles and collected 190,929 needles

Referrals & Access

VARCS provided the following number of referrals and access assistance; Mental Health & Addictions 202 Social Service Agencies 151 Primary Health Care 133

The Mobile X continues to remain flexible to meet the needs of our clients to ensure we are reaching as many as possible to provide harm reduction materials and information to those at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and other blood borne diseases to prevent transmission.

We continue to work with our community partners as one large team, enhancing service delivery and assistance to those who need it.

Community, Provincial & National Involvement

Community

Downtown Service Providers: VARCS continues to be an active member of the DSP. Members include service providers, city officials, police, business community and more. This unique group meet as one group, not as our individual agencies t tackle issues that affect downtown. Working together to find solutions and have a unified voice on important matters and issues Practicum Students: VARCS regularly hosts practicum students from programs at UVIC and Camosun College. Programs include nursing, social work, youth and child and First Nation studies

VIHA Needle Exchange Service Provider Group: VIHA contracted needle exchange services meet regularly to track the numbers of syringes distributed and collected in Greater Victoria, as well as discussion around current issues and trends

Provincial

Pacific AIDS Network: We have been able this year to attend the AGM, executive directors workshop and front line service provider workshops

Took part in surveys from BC agencies

Federal

Canadian AIDS Society:

- Participated in the Vaccine Preparedness Toolkit working group. Worked with the working group that produced the HIV/AIDS and substance use toolkit. - Attended the AGM

Canadian Treatment Action Council: On the council representing current and former substance users. - involved with the following; HIV/AIDS and dental, ageing & HIV/ AIDS and the succession planning working groups - attended the First National Co-Infection Summit

Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network: Attended the Second HIV Law & Human Rights Symposium

North American HIV/AIDS and Housing Summit: Attended the summit with ASO's from Canada and the US to look at the issues surrounding housing