Are you a young gay, bisexual, or queer guy in Canada interested in fighting against stigma?
Stigma is a strong social power that keeps people out. It is a driver of the HIV epidemic and a key social determinant of health for young gay and bisexual men. It manifests in many ways, such has HIV stigma, homophobia, racism, classism, transphobia, and ageism. These forms of stigma often intersect and work together to push people further out in the margins. In young gay and bisexual men, the experience of stigma has effects on their lives, their opportunities, and their health. We must resist it.
Resist Stigma is a national initiative that engages young gay and bisexual men and health professionals in combating stigma. We resist stigma by building knowledge, by providing educational opportunities, and by engaging young gay and bisexual men in creating messages that resist stigma.
Youth Advisory Group
Resist Stigma is in the process of establishing a Youth Advisory Group. The purpose of the Youth Advisory Group is to provide information, advice and recommendations from a youth perspective on the Resist Stigma project. This includes recommendations on research activities, the development of learning opportunities, and the project’s social media strategies. After a call for anti-stigma campaign proposals from youth groups across the country, the Youth Advisory Group will play a pivotal role in selecting the most effective submissions, which will be distributed widely via social media.
Selection Criteria
Resist Stigma is accepting applications for its Youth Advisory Group.
Interested youth advisors must:
• Be between the age of 18 and 29 years old
• Identify as gay, bi, two-spirit or queer
• Reside in Canada
• Be available to participate in bi-monthly meetings until March 2017 via teleconference or web.
• Be available to travel to Vancouver, British Columbia, on November 5-7, 2015, to attend the BC Gay Men’s Health Summit and an in-person Youth Advisory Group meeting (flight and accommodation costs will be covered by the project).
Ideally, applicants will:
• Demonstrate a commitment to and interest in social justice and anti-oppression work
• Have experience with anti-stigma work and/or social media
• Have prior involvement in LGBT, gay men’s health and/or HIV-related organizations or campaigns
Members will be selected such that a regional and linguistic balance is reached. We therefore encourage youth from all provinces and territories to apply. We strongly encourage youth living with HIV and members of other underserved and underrepresented communities of young gay and bisexual men to apply.
How to apply
If you are interested in applying to become a member of the Resist Stigma Youth Advisory Group, please send a resume and a motivation letter (in English or French) by Monday September 28th to Olivier Ferlatte, Resist Stigma Director at the Community-Based Research Centre for Gay Men’s Health, at [email protected].
Your motivation letter should concisely explain:
• Your definition of stigma
• Why you wish to join the group.
• What you believe you can contribute to the project
• How you meet the selection criteria
We ask that motivation letters be no longer than 2 pages, double-spaced. For any further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the project Director [email protected]
Who are we?
Resist Stigma is a project of the Community-Based Research Centre for Gay Men’s Health (CBRC), a non-profit charitable organization that advances gay men’s health through research, learning and leadership development. We work in collaboration with community groups and health professionals from across the country to resist stigma.