Fact Sheet Number 342
BUREAU
- WHAT IS THE HIV SPEAKERS BUREAU?
- HOW DO I REQUEST A SPEAKER?
- WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A
SPEAKER AS PART OF HIV/AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION?
- WHAT DOES IT COST TO HAVE A SPEAKER
COME AND PRESENT?
- WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HAVING
A SPEAKER?
- WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING DO THE SPEAKERS
HAVE?
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PrintSPEAKERS BUREAU?
The New Mexico HIV Speakers Bureau educates audiences
about HIV and AIDS using speakers who convey their personal stories.
Speakers make presentations at schools, community groups, civic
organizations, churches, public events and businesses. A speaker
can be an HIV+ individual, or a parent, a child, a family member,
significant other, or care giver of a person with HIV/AIDS. The
program is funded by the New Mexico Department of Health.
The focus of the HIV Speakers Bureau is to discuss what it
is like living with HIV or AIDS or having been affected by someone
living with HIV/AIDS.
A SPEAKER?
The HIV Speakers Bureau is managed by four agencies. Each agency
serves one of the districts are shown on the map below:
District I:
New Mexico AIDS Services, Albuquerque
505-938-7100 or 1-888-882-2437
District II:
Southwest CARE Center, Santa Fe
505-986-1084 or 1-888-320-8200
District III:
Camino de Vida, Las Cruces
505-532-0202 or 1-800-687-0850
District IV:
Alianza of New Mexico
505-623-1995 or 1-800-957-1995
If you want to request a speaker, call the agency listed above
for your district. Please try to call at least two weeks in advance
of the presentation date.
You will be asked about the presentation, such as the age group
of the audience and the time, date, and location of the presentation.
This information will help the Speakers Bureau coordinator select
an appropriate speaker for your event.
Normally, after a speaker is confirmed, the speaker and the
person setting up the presentation will be in contact with each
other to go over specifics of the event.
OF HAVING A SPEAKER AS PART OF HIV/AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION?
A speaker who is personally affected by HIV or AIDS puts a human
face to the epidemic. This type of presentation helps listeners
realize they can take control of the HIV/AIDS risks in their lives.
It also makes the epidemic a more personal and “real”
situation for the audience. Results from audience evaluations,
teacher evaluations and teacher workshops indicate that the speakers’
presentations are an important and powerful part of these programs.
TO HAVE A SPEAKER COME AND PRESENT?
The HIV Speakers Bureau is supported through funding from the
New Mexico Department of Health and individual contributions.
This funding allows the speakers to be paid for their presentations.
Donations to support the work of the Speakers Bureau can be made
to the agencies listed for each district.
TO KNOW ABOUT HAVING A SPEAKER?
Please keep in mind the health of the speaker. Please have a chair
and bottled water available (tap water can sometimes be hazardous
to the health of people with weakened immune systems.)
The speakers discuss what it is like living with HIV/AIDS.
Groundwork by the person requesting the speakers is a must. The
audience should have basic information about HIV/AIDS before the
speaker’s presentation.
In addition, the audience should have some type of follow up
activity to discuss the presentation. This might include writing
letters to the speaker, or reviewing skills to help individuals
avoid HIV infection.
DO THE SPEAKERS HAVE?
The speakers are required to attend annual training workshops.
The workshops include basic HIV/AIDS information, medical treatment
updates, presentation activities, and age-appropriate presentations.
In addition there is a mentoring aspect to the program where new
speakers go on presentations with experienced speakers before
“going solo.” The HIV Speakers Bureau works very closely
with the New Mexico State Department of Education in order to
provide this service to schools in appropriate ways.
Revised August 7, 2002
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