Orignins & Futires

YOU, are the 'Y' in CHAYN

Purpose : The Caribbean HIV/AIDS Youth Network is envisioned to provide a supportive space for young people through their various youth clubs and organizations or other youth aggregations to exchange ideas and provide discussion and action towards developing suitable responses to protect the young people of the Caribbean against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

OUR VISION:
To provide an expanded youth managed response to the HIV-AIDS epidemic among young people in the Caribbean.

By strengthening the natural resilience and creativity of the young people of the Caribbean to understand the environments within which we live in formulating solutions to the challenges we face. Our aim therefore is to facilitate the strengthening of youth spaces and voices in providing the appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS by providing access to resources and information on various strategies and approaches.

OUR MISSION :
To work in an organized and synergistic manner towards strengthening the articulation of local and regional youth networks in association with existing processes to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among youth in the Caribbean recognizing Gender, Human rights as well as sexual and reproductive rights

The Caribbean HIV/AIDS Youth Network will not create new clubs or youth groups where others already exist. Instead we will create synergies and linkages throughout the Caribbean exchanging talent, ideas, technical skills and tools that will provide the necessary support for existing processes to better deal with responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This we will do in five strategic areas.

Resource Mobilization
Advocacy
Capacity Building
Information System
Strengthening Local Networks

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES: -
Legitimizing and establishing CHAYN as the vehicle for the implementation, strengthening and promotion of local, regional youth networks and its member organizations.

Apply advocacy strategies in local and regional environments in application of youth policies

To broker on behalf of youth in the identification, mobilization and utilization of resources for projects and programmes designed for the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic and for youth development

To maintain an information System for strengthening communication and synergies between local and regional youth initiatives in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

To facilitate capacity building of youth networks in the region and member organizations

STRENGTHS OF THE CHAYN:

As our slogan states “YOU” are the “WHY” in CHAYN!

Accordingly this is “YOUR” network that has been provided with the assistance of many facilitating agencies, programmes and processes within the region. It provides a direct interface that allows free flow of knowledge and information from youth to youth through many innovative means.

The most important of these means is the capacity for young people to provide solutions to the challenges they face regarding their sexuality and rights to correct and useful information that will allow them to have access and knowledge of their sexual and reproductive health rights.

Informed youth are best able to manage their Sexual Behaviour whether through abstinence support programmes, safer sex programmes, youth sensitive and youth friendly health care services, gender appropriate learning or simply the right to be “YOU”.

The approach of CHAYN is to put “YOU” in the centre of planning, development and management of programmes, projects and processes to provide a youth to youth, youth involved and youth driven response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

CONTACT INFO HERE

Trinidad & Tobago
Ginelle Yearwood Mc Donald
Regional Coordinator
1[868]774-9919 1[868]739-2398
ginelyear@yahoo.com

Leroy Serapio- National Focal point
1[868]775-8843

Dominican Republic {Español}
Steele Martinez- National focal point
Steele_martinez@hotmail.com

Suriname {Dutch}
Jacintha Dundas-National Focal point
chehera@yahoo.com

Haiti {French}
Myrlande Leroy-National Focal Point
myrlandeleroy@yahoo.fr

This response will provide for the protection of persons already infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including young persons living with HIV/AIDS, YPLWHAs. Orphans and Children made vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS, OVCs and to prevent the further spread of the virus to the young people of the Caribbean .

Placing young people in the centre of these programmes, projects and processes provides the scope for a truly diverse set of actions that will create in each participant the understanding of the responsibilities that come with sexual and reproductive health rights.

HOW CAN “YOU” PARTICIPATE?

By bringing this article to the wider membership of your youth group or your circle of friends you have already began to participate in the process.

By connecting with other youth groups or other groups of friends and discussing mutual needs for advocacy and information around the issue of HIV/AIDS then network strengthening has already began.

By placing the issue of HIV/AIDS on the agenda or focus of your groups and friends then a greater understanding of the needs of your group for more information will begin to become known.

The next step is to contact the CHAYN by any of several means, writing, Email and telephoning us at the following numbers, addresses and email addresses throughout our region.

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