CliniQ Highlights CliniQ Peer Mentors have recently had professional in-depth Peer Mentoring training provided by Garry Brough from Positively UK, a leading HIV organisation. They will continue to engage with Garry Brough at Positively UK. This professional training will make sure their team have the most up to date skills regarding mentoring and supporting clients living with and at risk of acquiring HIV. The Peer Mentoring service will facilitate and monitor improvements in wellbeing for trans and non-binary people. The service will be delivered on-line and in-person. It aims to help empower trans and non-binary people in self-care and support. The Peer Mentoring aims to improve the health and wellbeing of trans and non-binary people who are looking for support with daily living, those who are awaiting counselling, those on the NHS gender care waiting list and trans and non-binary people who are living with HIV. We will advocate HIV prevention and HIV care within the service. The project will actively encourage trans and non-binary people who are black and people of colour to participate and l recognise and investigate the additional barriers they face. They aim to put the needs of mentees in the centre of our Peer Mentoring service. So they asked trans people in the community what they would most like from mentoring sessions. Several popular areas for support were; sleep hygiene and managing restlessness, organising finances, keeping active and exercise, hormone management, managing anxiety and depression, nutrition and healthy eating, coping with COVID-19 related stress, HIV and sexual health and intimate relationships, coping with isolation from others and maintaining online support networks, and being trans and transitioning in isolation. Expected Outcomes Using coping and other skills learned during 1-to-1 Peer Mentoring sessions mentees should see improvements in some of the following areas: reductions in anxiety and depression levels; increased self-confidence and self-esteem; coping with minority stress, the stress of daily life; improvements in relationships, social engagement, HIV and STI awareness and peer support; and solid understanding of HIV prevention such as PrEP and HIV care. Benefitting 75 to 85 mentees over a year. For the trans and non-binary communities, opportunities to connect with other trans and non-binary people resulting in an increase in social connection and friendship and reduced feelings of isolation which have been disproportionally affected and impacted by COVID isolation and living with HIV. 300 or more people. Manage Cookie Preferences