PLDI ONTARIO & EASTERN CANADA

Initiated by PHAs of the Ontario AIDS Network (OAN) in 2006, the Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) has had an important impact on many lives and projects linked to the HIV sector including some of the examples below :

PLDI received the 2013 Jay Browne Award at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) Research Conference. The award recognizes excellence, leadership, and innovation in the field of HIV/AIDS. It recognizes and helps to advance the work of community leaders who are making a real difference in the lives of Ontarians living with HIV. The funding provided with the award made possible a joint OHTN-PLDI research day in November 2014. During the day PLDI alumni dialogued with researchers to identify the research they wanted to see done. Aging with HIV and holistic approaches to healthy living were the main items identified. This is in contrast to research forums in past years where the focus was more on biomedical and treatment issues. Aging with HIV is emerging as a major concern: PHAs wonder where they can live as they age. For example, will there be long-term care facilities that have HIV expertise and that will fully accept PHAs? (See report below for more details)

• Facing Forward: Identifying Research Priorities Through PHA Experience

In 2014, graduates of the PLDI training participated in the OHTN research day and 90 alumni attended the OAN Honour Roll reception, which celebrates the Honour Roll awards recipients. On World AIDS Day (December 1) 2014, 30 PLDI alumni who have publicly disclosed put their photographs on Peter’s Tree, an artwork created by Joseph Babcock. The work was on display at the opening of the new offices of the AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) in February 2015 and at a church in Toronto during the year. Also on display at the ACO opening was a copy of the Ontario Accord, which was created during the work on Living & Serving in 2011, a process in which many PLDI graduates participated. (You can read a copy of the Ontario Accord at the end of the document below.)

• PLDI 2015 Evaluation

Please note PLDI trainings by the OAN in Ontario are offered in English only. For potential interest in French training in Ontario, please see the FAQ section and/ or contact us at info@pldi.ca. 

FACILITATORS/TRAINERS

PLDI BRITISH COLUMBIA & WESTERN CANADA

The Pacific AIDS Network (PAN) brought the Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) to BC, working in partnership with the Ontario AIDS Network (OAN).  Since its launch in 2009, more than 240 people have graduated from the Core Leadership Training module and most grads have also gone on to attend the other modules of the training, Communications Skills and Bored? Get on Board! (Board governance training).

PLDI grads actively work and volunteer within community-based organizations, as well as health authorities, in a wide range of capacities including peer navigation, harm reduction, prevention/education, support services, and in leadership and governance positions.

The British Columbia PLDI chapter is delivered by the Pacific AIDS Network (PAN), is a registered non-profit and works directly with 40 HIV, hepatitis C, STBBI, and harm reduction member organizations in every health authority region of BC, as well as one member in the Yukon.

Recent PAN & PLDI Reports

• PAN 2019-2020
• PAN 2018-2019
• PLDI Impact Evaluation 2017

Please note PLDI trainings by the PAN in British Columbia are offered in English only. For potential interest in French training in BC, please see the FAQ section and/ or contact us at info@pldi.ca.

FACILITATORS/TRAINERS

PLDI QUEBEC & FRANCOPHONE CANADA

In August 2017, COCQ-SIDA, in partnership with the Ontario Aids Network (OAN) and the Pacific Aids Network (PAN) officially initiated the Quebec chapter of the Positive Leadership Development Institute (PLDI) in French. Financed by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC),  the five-year project aims to empower citizens living with HIV in Québec so that they develop their leadership potential and increase their capacity to significantly participate in community life.

As an example of the GIPA principles in action, PLDI teams of facilitators/ trainers are solely made up of people living with HIV. Participants can be assured of the warmth, creativity and resiliency of the team of trainers who can depend on one another, and the reassuring safe space of respect, open-mindedness, and solidarity this helps create.

The 5 Quebec facilitators each hold leadership roles outside of PLDI in different positions. Each member of the team of trainers has training and/or experience of teaching and facilitating to adults and peers. They also all participated in the three PLDI trainings before becoming PLDI Facilitators. In all, the Quebec team of trainers has 67 years of facilitating experience when the individual years of experience are cumulated. The individual experiences allow our team to facilitate varied learning workshops and methods such as art therapy, group discussion and technologically filled presentations.

The work experience of our team of facilitators is varied and includes experience of things such as outreach work, community coordination, management of non-profit organizations, board work experience,  computer graphics,  and web design to name but a few.

Finally, since the Quebec PLDI journey was initiated, our facilitation team has been attributed superpowers and healing powers which, even if exaggerated, these comparisons highlight the positive energy and impact participants gain from our trainings.

Please note PLDI trainings by COCQ-SIDA in Québec are offered in French only. For potential interest in English training in Québec, please see the FAQ section and/ or contact us at info@pldi.ca.

FACILITATORS/TRAINERS