ILO/USDOL International HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme
Strategic HIV/AIDS Responses by Enterprises (SHARE)

Guyana

Behaviour Change Communication Strategy Development Workshop Georgetown, 14-22 March 2005

About us

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) have entered into a partnership to develop HIV/AIDS workplace education and prevention programmes in 23 countries including Guyana. The Project's goals in Guyana are to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in the world of work and reduce its adverse consequences on social, labour and economic development.

The objectives of the Project are:
1) to reduce HIV/AIDS risk behaviours among workers;
2) to reduce employment-related discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Action at the level of the enterprise is the principal target of the Project.

The Project works with:

1. (a) the government, labour unions and employers to ensure that the national legal and policy framework is conducive to workplace prevention and protection of workers' rights;
2. (b) management and labour to formulate policy and launch effective programmes within workplaces.

The strategy has two complementary lines of action: to work with target sectors and enterprises, to launch HIV/AIDS workplace Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) programmes, and to focus on policies and mechanisms which reduce discrimination. Both take place simultaneously, with lessons learned being applied continuously throughout the course of the Project.

The strategy builds on the comparative advantage of the ILO's networks, experiences and materials, including the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work and its Training and Education Manual as well as the ILO/FHI Behaviour Change Communication Toolkit.

Sean Wilson took up the reins as National Project Coordinator (NPC) in Guyana in October 2003. He has many years' experience in the field of HIV/AIDS, having worked as the Programme Support Associate to the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, prior to which he worked as a Project Coordinator for USAID and as a Consultant to UNICEF.

A tripartite Project Advisory Board (PAB) steers the Project to ensure harmony with national policy and strategy as well as integration of activities into ongoing programmes.

A key component of the Project is a built-in monitoring plan to assess progress, identify impact as well as strengths and weaknesses for any re-planning needed. A Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) with country-specific indicators has been developed to assess Project impact.

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Latest developments

•	Training of Peer Educators: A manual for the training of trainers and workplace peer educators was developed in October 2005 and is being used in the training of peer educators in the partner enterprises. Between November 2005 and February 2006, 240 peer educators were trained. Facilitators for the workshops, which are held for three consecutive days, are from local NGOs and experienced individuals who have been trained by the ILO.
•	Development of Communication Materials: Sector-specific communication materials (bumper stickers, posters and brochures) are in the process of being pre-tested and will be produced.
•	Mid-Term Internal Assessment: The mid-term internal assessment took place 9-13 May 2005. The assessors presented their findings and recommendations to the PAB members.
•	Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Strategy Development Workshops: The first workshop was organized on 14-18 March 2005 to develop BCC strategies and work programmes for the mining sector, security services, the selection of national agencies and the target workplaces. This workshop was followed by a two-day training workshop on the use of the ILO/FHI BCC Toolkit for the Workplace. The NPCs from Belize, Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana together with their national BCC consultants, tripartite and NGO representatives were trained in the utilization of the toolkit. The second BCC Strategy Development Workshop was held from 13-17 June 2005 for the manufacturing, forestry, banking and hospitality sectors and other partner enterprises.
•	Focal Points Training: focal points from 17 enterprises and 2 unions participated in a five-day training workshop from 6 to 10 December 2004. The focus was on the development of effective HIV/AIDS policies and programmes using the ILO Code of Practice and its Training and Education Manual. Twelve HIV/AIDS focal points from seven unions affiliated to the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and two unions outside the umbrella body participated in a five-day training workshop on HIV/AIDS Policy and Programme Development from 25-29 April 2005. The Project also supported the GTUC in developing its HIV/AIDS Policy and Plan of Action in September 2004.
•	Project Plan of Action: A stakeholders' meeting to discuss and review the Draft Plan of Action was held on 14 October 2004 with 33 representatives from the unions and the enterprises. The Project plan of action was approved by the Project Management Board on 11 April 2005.
•	Collection of Baseline Data (workers' survey): A consultant was recruited in September 2004 to collect baseline data from a sample of six enterprises among the partner enterprises. The report from the survey, along with data gathered from key informant interviews and focus group discussions, provided invaluable information for the development of the BCC strategies and work programmes. A total of 300 workers were surveyed. A similar survey will be administered at the end of the Project to assess Project impact.
•	Sensitization Workshop: A workshop for the tripartite constituents was held on 15 April 2004 with the main purpose of sensitizing employers' and workers' organizations as well as government officials to the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world of work in Guyana. The sensitization workshop was an opportunity to discuss and clarify their roles in responding to the epidemic, acknowledge the need for collaboration and for the development of policies. The workshop benefited from the presence of the Honourable Minister of Labour, the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat and the HIV/AIDS Technical Specialist at the ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean.
•	Launch of Project: A meeting of the stakeholders was convened on 26 February 2004 for the official launch of the Project. Participants included representatives from government ministries and agencies, employers' and workers' organizations, NGOs, donor agencies and the media. Over one hundred persons attended the ceremony including the US Ambassador to Guyana, the UN Resident Coordinator, the Minister of Labour, and the representatives of the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) and Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry (CAGI).

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Mapping exercise and other resources

For Guyana

One of the Project's first activities was to conduct a mapping exercise (full report available soon) to gain a picture of the current situation in the country regarding HIV/AIDS and the world of work. It includes information on relevant policy and legislation, as well as communications, training and resource materials developed locally which could help in the implementation of workplace programmes. This and other relevant information is summarized in the country profile section of the ILO/AIDS website. HIV/AIDS and world of work organizations and contacts in Guyana Health services available for HIV/AIDS in Guyana

In general

ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work (in English) Behaviour Change Communication: An ILO/FHI toolkit for the workplace

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Photo gallery

		Project internal assessment 9-13 May 2005 Members of the Project Advisory Board with the assessors
		Facilitator Jean Courville (standing) from the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) with participants at a training workshop for union representatives on home-based care held, 24 November 2005
		focal points from the Trade Unions with their certificates from the training workshop 25-29 April 2005
		Workers from one of the enterprises participating in a peer educators workshop November 2005
		Training on the ILO/FHI BCC Toolkit, (Left to right) Nasolo Jacobs, NPC Jamaica, Arlene Husbands, NPC Barbados, Sean Wilson NPC Guyana, Madhuri Supersad, HIV/AIDS Technical Specialist ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, Sheila Middleton, NPC Belize, Josee Laporte, Programme and Operations Officer, ILO/AIDS 14-18 March 2005.
		Training workshop for enterprise focal points 6-10 December 2004

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Contact us

Sean Wilson
National Project Coordinator
ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS Workplace Education Programme

56 Main & New Market Streets,
North Cummingsburg
Georgetown, Guyana

Tel: (592)-226-8899
Fax: (592)-225-4405
swilson@gol.net.gy

Madhuri Supersad
HIV/AIDS Technical Specialist

ILO HIV/AIDS focal point for the Caribbean
ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Tel: +1-868-628-14-53/54/55/56
Tel: +1-868-622-02-92
Tel: +1-868-628-73-04
Tel: +1-868-628-24-33
supersad@pos.ilocarib.org.tt

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