Healthy Gay Nottingham HGN

HGN

HGN ( formally the GAI Project ) is a gay and bisexual men’s health service with a committment to providing a non-judgemental and confidential service.

We provide a wide range of free condoms and lube, one to one support on a whole range of issues and act as a reporting point for homophobic crime.You can also pick up condom packs for the local gay venues or from the outreach teams, which are regularly at these venues.

Aims

To reduce transmission of HIV and other STIs amongst gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Nottingham and promote the physical and mental well being of this community.

Objectives

To inform men about HIV/STI transmission risks and prevention strategies, using clear and culturally appropriate information and imagery.

To enable men to exercise choice and control in their sexual relationships.To ensure that condoms and lubricant are easily available for those men who choose to use them.To raise awareness of local sexual health services, including facilities for HIV testing and Hepatitis B vaccination.To offer one to one support to men experiencing difficulties associated with their sexuality and sexual relationships.To offer supportive group environments for sections of the community with specific needs.To liase with other local LGB organisations and promote community development.To actively work towards the promotion of community safety and the reporting of homophobic crime.To liase with statutory and voluntary agencies that have a health or welfare role to ensure that they are accessible to and aware of the needs of the community, and to offer training to this end where appropriate.To refer clients to appropriate gay-friendly services when their needs are outside our remit and to support them in the referral process where necessary.

To actively include all men who have sex with men in our objectives, taking into account HIV status, age, sexual identity, ethnicity, ability, religion or class.

To actively challenge homophobia, heterosexism and other oppressive attitudes and behaviours.

History of HGN

The service originally developed out of the unique Health Shop, a drop in service providing sexual health and harm reduction information to anyone having sex or using injectable drugs. This was very much at a time when forward thinking NHS providers were looking at ways of dealing with the rise in HIV and AIDS. What started as one outreach worker developed into a service within it’s own rights.

The GAi Project was launched in 1994 by none other than Sir Ian McKellen at the Broadway Cinema. As with the cinema the project has gone through many changes over the years, both in terms of its staff and the range of services it provides.

What’s in a name!! Many people wonder what GAi stood for;
well originally it stood for Gay and Bisexual Men’s AIDS Initiative.
Now we have updated this to Healthy Gay Nottingham (HGN) to reflect the wider range of services we offer.

Originally the staff consisted of one full time and one part time worker. Since then the team now consists of one manager a Health Promotion Specialist Outreach Coordinator, an Emotional Wellbeing Worker and a team of sessional workers.
To date the project has seen 3 managers and 4 project workers come and go.

Originally the focus was on outreach in both commercial settings and in public sex environments, in addition to a condom distribution scheme. The service has always set out to be a part of the community and sex affirmative. We have strived to validate gay lifestyle choices recognising that gay men and men who have sex with men are not a homogenous group. The most important aspect is the belief that gay men’s health is about more than sex. As such the service engages with men through a holistic approach to sexual health and well-being.

Over the years the project developed a wide range of interventions to offer the greatest choice for an individual. We continue to look at different ways in which to engage with men in relation to their sexuality.

Previous projects:

• Research into homophobic bullying presenting the findings at the Lesbian and Gay national psychology conference
• WAD events
• Homophobic and hate crime campaigns
• PSE work
• Rent boy drop-in
• Contributing to the Radio 1 website
• Developing a drugs awareness resource sponsored by Gelxo Welcome
• Setting up a the LGBT forum
• Contributing to the setting up of what has now become Nottingham Pride
• Setting up of Breakout
• Running the weekly Married Men’s group
• Running a 5 week ‘Coming out’ course

Current/ongoing work:

• Condom distribution
• Scene outreach
• Events –History Month/WAD/Pride
• Group work
• Telephone support
• One to one support
• Counselling
• Alternative therapies: Reiki and Acupuncture
• Training for other organisations
• Workshops for LGB groups
• Campaigns/Resources

Links – Community

• Uni groups
• Breakout
• Switchboard
• Local gay bars and clubs
• Reflections Health Club
• Ball Bois FC
• Outburst
• NTU Pride
• Nottingham LGBT network
• Nottinghamshire Pride

Links – Professional

• Asylum seekers forum
• Youth services/Child exploitation
• Connexions
• Police
• Social services
• GUM
• Sexual health forum
• POW
• School of Nursing
• Hardship Fund
• Nottingham City Advisory group
• Outburst steering group
• Chill Out Sound support
• THT
• Trade
• Rethink
• Samaritans
• Refugee Futures
• UKCP and BACP Ethics
• SMART
• Nottingham FE Colleges
• Nottingham universities
• Sherwood training institute

Resources

• Gay Guide to Nottingham
• Emotional wellbeing leaflet
• Condom Packs
• Group publicity
• Event publicity
• Posters/postcards
• Date cards
• Rape booklet
• Sti booklet
• ''Hey, you gay'' booklet ( Sex tips book 1 )
• Coming out leaflet

You can contact Healthy Gay Nottingham direct on 0115 9476868

© Copyright 2007-2011 HGN

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		HGN HGN ( formally the GAI Project ) is a gay and bisexual men’s health service with a committment to providing a non-judgemental and confidential service. We provide a wide range of free condoms and lube, one to one support on a whole range of issues and act as a reporting point for homophobic crime.You can also pick up condom packs for the local gay venues or from the outreach teams, which are regularly at these venues. Aims To reduce transmission of HIV and other STIs amongst gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Nottingham and promote the physical and mental well being of this community. Objectives To inform men about HIV/STI transmission risks and prevention strategies, using clear and culturally appropriate information and imagery. To enable men to exercise choice and control in their sexual relationships.To ensure that condoms and lubricant are easily available for those men who choose to use them.To raise awareness of local sexual health services, including facilities for HIV testing and Hepatitis B vaccination.To offer one to one support to men experiencing difficulties associated with their sexuality and sexual relationships.To offer supportive group environments for sections of the community with specific needs.To liase with other local LGB organisations and promote community development.To actively work towards the promotion of community safety and the reporting of homophobic crime.To liase with statutory and voluntary agencies that have a health or welfare role to ensure that they are accessible to and aware of the needs of the community, and to offer training to this end where appropriate.To refer clients to appropriate gay-friendly services when their needs are outside our remit and to support them in the referral process where necessary. To actively include all men who have sex with men in our objectives, taking into account HIV status, age, sexual identity, ethnicity, ability, religion or class. To actively challenge homophobia, heterosexism and other oppressive attitudes and behaviours. History of HGN The service originally developed out of the unique Health Shop, a drop in service providing sexual health and harm reduction information to anyone having sex or using injectable drugs. This was very much at a time when forward thinking NHS providers were looking at ways of dealing with the rise in HIV and AIDS. What started as one outreach worker developed into a service within it’s own rights. The GAi Project was launched in 1994 by none other than Sir Ian McKellen at the Broadway Cinema. As with the cinema the project has gone through many changes over the years, both in terms of its staff and the range of services it provides. What’s in a name!! Many people wonder what GAi stood for; well originally it stood for Gay and Bisexual Men’s AIDS Initiative. Now we have updated this to Healthy Gay Nottingham (HGN) to reflect the wider range of services we offer. Originally the staff consisted of one full time and one part time worker. Since then the team now consists of one manager a Health Promotion Specialist Outreach Coordinator, an Emotional Wellbeing Worker and a team of sessional workers. To date the project has seen 3 managers and 4 project workers come and go. Originally the focus was on outreach in both commercial settings and in public sex environments, in addition to a condom distribution scheme. The service has always set out to be a part of the community and sex affirmative. We have strived to validate gay lifestyle choices recognising that gay men and men who have sex with men are not a homogenous group. The most important aspect is the belief that gay men’s health is about more than sex. As such the service engages with men through a holistic approach to sexual health and well-being. Over the years the project developed a wide range of interventions to offer the greatest choice for an individual. We continue to look at different ways in which to engage with men in relation to their sexuality. Previous projects: • Research into homophobic bullying presenting the findings at the Lesbian and Gay national psychology conference • WAD events • Homophobic and hate crime campaigns • PSE work • Rent boy drop-in • Contributing to the Radio 1 website • Developing a drugs awareness resource sponsored by Gelxo Welcome • Setting up a the LGBT forum • Contributing to the setting up of what has now become Nottingham Pride • Setting up of Breakout • Running the weekly Married Men’s group • Running a 5 week ‘Coming out’ course Current/ongoing work: • Condom distribution • Scene outreach • Events –History Month/WAD/Pride • Group work • Telephone support • One to one support • Counselling • Alternative therapies: Reiki and Acupuncture • Training for other organisations • Workshops for LGB groups • Campaigns/Resources Links – Community • Uni groups • Breakout • Switchboard • Local gay bars and clubs • Reflections Health Club • Ball Bois FC • Outburst • NTU Pride • Nottingham LGBT network • Nottinghamshire Pride Links – Professional • Asylum seekers forum • Youth services/Child exploitation • Connexions • Police • Social services • GUM • Sexual health forum • POW • School of Nursing • Hardship Fund • Nottingham City Advisory group • Outburst steering group • Chill Out Sound support • THT • Trade • Rethink • Samaritans • Refugee Futures • UKCP and BACP Ethics • SMART • Nottingham FE Colleges • Nottingham universities • Sherwood training institute Resources • Gay Guide to Nottingham • Emotional wellbeing leaflet • Condom Packs • Group publicity • Event publicity • Posters/postcards • Date cards • Rape booklet • Sti booklet • ''Hey, you gay'' booklet ( Sex tips book 1 ) • Coming out leaflet You can contact Healthy Gay Nottingham direct on 0115 9476868 © Copyright 2007-2011 HGN .