Positive Latinx Australian Network (PLAN)

The Positive Latinx Australian Network, known as PLAN, is an advocacy group represented by and for a collective of people living with HIV in Australia who are from Latin American and Hispanic backgrounds.

Who we are

PLAN Latinx Australia was founded in 2021 through an initiative of the NAPWHA HIV Health Literacy Framework project – a community-led project which employs a participatory action research approach aiming to build the capacity of PLHIV communities and to develop tailored health promotion.

Led by Community Advocate, Cristian Cortes, who works in collaboration with a founding group of other peers including Oscar Sanchez – PLAN Latinx Australia has been established through NAPWHA and continues to advocate for health literacy and health promotion. The PLAN Latinx Australia group will meet regularly for advocacy work and to support social networks.

How to engage with us

Are you living with HIV in Australia? Do you identify with a Latin American or Hispanic background? We would like to hear from you. We meet regularly to advocate on behalf of ourselves. Our social network will aim to provide a safe inclusive spaces and ways to connect with each other for social connection.

It is also a way to exchange conversations relating to HIV and general health – this includes talking about navigating the healthcare system in Australia.

EMAIL PLAN@NAPWHA.ORG.AU

How our meetings are conducted

The group connects primarily by teleconference, with capacity for an annual face-to-face meeting. An email loop is used to facilitate discussion and consultation between meeting times, circulate information for discussion, and assist in NAPWHA’s consultation process as matters arise.

About the Health Literacy Framework project

PLAN was founded in 2021 from work and the findings under the NAPWHA HIV Health Literacy Framework project. The Health Literacy Framework project is a community-led project which employs a community member to develop and tailored health promotion for people living with HIV (PLHIV). Community Advocate, Cristian Cortes consulted with community peers to develop the ideas for establishing a national network.

Activities undertaken to establish PLAN:

In 2021, Community Advocate Cristian Cortes with Oscar Sanchez, conducted Community Conversations with peer networks from around Australia. This aimed to investigate what works where and how in terms of health literacy (gaps, enablers and opportunities) and improving HIV-related heath outcomes for heterosexual men. These consultations went on to inform a range of health literacy initiatives targeting (or tailored for) latinx people living with HIV.
Latinx Community Conversations was summarised in a Report available for download [PDF]

From this investigation, the health literacy project aims to implement some project initiates, including:

In 2021, a core reference group including Oscar Sanchez will commence formalising discussions around the formation of a NAPWHA-auspiced network.

Report - Community Consultations with Positive Latinx - Dec 2021 [PDF]

Video: NAPWHA Project Officer, Eloise Monteiro presented as part of a Health Literacy Framework project report back to members at the NAPWHA AGM 2021. Community Advocates from the project made announcements of new NAPWHA-auspiced national networks: Jimmy Chen of Positive Asian Network Australia (PANA); Anth McCarthy of HetMAN Australia (Heterosexual Men Advocacy Network); and Cristian Cortes of Positive Latinx Australian Network (PLAN)

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