factsheet
Project
Advocacy Navigator
Preparing the next generation of HIV prevention advocates
Using training and mentorship from AVAC Fellow Alumni and other seasoned advocates to prepare the next generation of HIV prevention advocates.
Support for Advocates is Essential
Since 2009 with the establishment of the AVAC Advocacy Fellows program, AVAC has recognized the imperative to support HIV prevention advocates globally. They represent a global movement of seasoned veterans and passionate newcomers, who call out neglect, insist on equity, monitor commitments and identify solutions. Now the Advocacy Navigator program is leveraging the strength of this extraordinary program and its alumni community to expand and strengthen the network and continue to support and engage advocates for the long-term.
The Advocacy Navigator combines training and mentorship to young and emerging advocates in the field of HIV prevention advocacy. The program will mobilize a cohort of ambitious individuals and provide them with resources to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to meaningfully advance HIV prevention advocacy in their communities and countries. The program includes online coursework, personalized mentorship, and opportunities to directly apply learning through a community advocacy project. The program begins with three months of coursework and project development, followed by three months when advocates implement their plans.
Who The Program Is For
This initiative is designed for new and emerging advocates looking to jumpstart or strengthen their HIV prevention advocacy.
What The Program Entails
- Curated coursework
- Personalized mentorship
- Intentional networking
- Experiential learning
How The Program Works
In collaboration with their mentors, participants, will:
- Connect with AVAC’s global network
- Bolster existing HIV prevention campaigns
- Fuel new advocacy efforts
The first three months include structured, self-paced coursework, followed by a Community Advocacy Project for the following three months. The focus of the project is decided by the participants in consultation with their mentors in order to match their interests with community needs.
Tapping into the AVAC Alumni Network
Participants will work directly with previous Fellows. Here are just some of our notable alumni:
During her time as a fellow, Wini successfully spearheaded a campaign to secure ARVs, food, hygiene packs and other services and supplies for 2,700 households in 115 districts during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Her advocacy earned her the 2021 Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy while also garnering opportunities to collaborate with IAVI, aidsmap, Al Jazeera, and others.
Clever was fighting for recognition in spaces where decisions were made when he joined the Fellows program in 2012. Now, he informs national policy on voluntary male medical circumcision. His project increased community participation in the health budgeting process and was directly involved in drafting Zambia’s Country Operating Plan for PEPFAR. He joined key national working groups and formed a civil society coalition on HIV prevention.
Josephine is steering Nigeria’s key population community to accelerate PrEP rollout. Her work training KP champions in peer-to-peer PrEP education led to an increase of over 23,000 PrEP referrals. She successfully worked with the Ministry of Health to secure PrEP inclusion in the National Consolidated Service Delivery Guidelines on HIV and STIs for Key Populations, in Nigeria’s National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan, and in Heartland Alliance’s Peer Educators’ Manual, a nationally recognized compendium.
Read more about past AVAC Advocacy Fellows and the work they’ve done.
Contact
Interested in joining the next group of Navigators or want to hear more about the project? Contact Hannah Nelson at hnelson@avac.org.