fter years of working in the charity sector, attending endless funding meetings with trusts, plans to set up a unique clinic targeting young people with HIV/AIDS are now at crisis point. Health Initiatives – HI founded in 1999, now faces a bleak future since losing our main backer which would have covered the rent (£43k) for a building space on Oxford Street.

The last few months haven’t been easy when you come to the realisation that the last two and half year of looking at countless buildings across London was done in vain. I guess what makes it even more painful is the fact that no one likes to be given the brush off without legitimate reasons as to why? My confidence hit rock bottom and all the listening to hot air and pointless handshaking with backers now seems like a waste of time.

I guess what makes it even more painful is the fact that no one likes to be given the brush off without? legitimate reasons as to why? My confidence hit rock bottom and all the listening to hot air and pointless handshaking with backers now seems like a waste of time.”

I’ve done the rounds in trying to raise awareness on Channel 5 news, Attitude Magazine, QX magazine and working on an advertising campaign thanks to the support of friends. You might be thinking as you read this ‘It’s a not huge amount of money and that I should stop moaning, pick myself up and get on with it’. The charity sector is one of the most unstable areas to work within and I am now reliant on only a few generous individuals who have already bailed me out of the hot water before.

Websites like Facebook and Myspace have been a source of comfort with small donations from friends who want to see this project succeed but I’m still along way off from reaching the target to secure the building. Funding for premises is the hardest aspect for any charity to secure which is why I found the current setback so devastating and with time ticking the space could be snapped up any moment.

Over the years we’ve all heard how there are is a shortage of support services for young people living with HIV and AIDS, now I know why. Thankfully Crusaid, Virgin Unite, Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS are still behind this project. I’ve approached some clinics to see if we can rent space from them over the weekend and I haven’t yet found much interest so far from the NHS. I feel we need to provide more accessible services to target hard to reach young people who might not feel comfortable in the usual NHS settings.

I’ve always felt it unethical to provide testing only services if we don’t have the peer based facilities to support the young people after the result…just call me old fashioned. Young people are less likely to be aware of emergency HIV medications like PEP treatment which can reduce the risk from recent exposure by up to 80%.

I guess what hurts the most for me is that in the 11 years I’ve been living with HIV young people today are still saying there is a lack of services targeting their needs, which is why I left this country for the USA after my diagnosis in 1997. If you don’t have a safe space to meet your peers and discuss your concerns, like I did in the States, how on earth do you expect to come to terms with your diagnosis or prevent future partners from contracting the virus?

I’m not going to give up on the clinic…way too many people have put their faith and money in me and the project. It’s just a harsh wake up call and sad reality of the state of sexual health services in this country. All the media awareness makes it just? about me because most young people don’t want to be identified as ‘positive.’ It’s not about me anymore, it’s about my peers and friends who need the service more than me. I’m now looking for part time work as last week I had to sign on for Job Seeker’s allowance because I can’t have faith in the charity sector or pay my rent. I’m now looking for part time work to help make ends meet and to turn the clinic from a dream into a reality.

If you can help please make a donation at
www.justgiving.com/HICLINIC or write to
clint@healthinitiatives.org PN

Clint Walters founder of Health Initiatives – HI
www.healthinitiatives.org
www.myspace.com/clintleewalters