Lazaro Kabongo discusses the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland's approach to sexual health education in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, with a focus on engaging young people through the Play Safe soccer project. This presentation was given at the Under the Baobab African Diaspora Networking Zone at the International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2014.

1. Let’s talk about
sex
Theophil Lazaro Kabongo
HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health
Program
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland

2. www.eccq.com.au
ECCQ
 Supports and advocates for the needs of
culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)
communities in Queensland through:
 HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis & Sexual Health Program
 Chronic Disease Program
 Aged care services
 Policy development
 Community development
 Cultural competency training

3. www.eccq.com.au
HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health
Program activities
 Engage community leaders, schools and other
organisations
 Community education and training
(workshops, presentations, individual)
 Provide support (group and individual)
 Information stalls and other events
 World AIDS Day activities
 Develop and distribute resources in various
languages
 Translate resources into new languages

4. www.eccq.com.au
ECCQ approach
 Peer education
 Understand the culture and community needs
 Can access ‘hard to reach’ populations – we are community
members, we know where and how to recruit people
 Can communicate in our own language and explain things in
a way people can understand
 More likely to be accepted and trusted than outsiders
 More accessible because live among the community
 Improves the health literacy of the community

5. www.eccq.com.au
CALD population in Queensland
 In 2011, 20.5% of Queenslanders were born
outside of Australia
 9.8% of Queenslanders speak a language other
than English at home
 Top ten source countries for humanitarian
settlements: Iran, Congo, Afghanistan, Burma,
Bhutan,Iraq,Sri Lanka,Somalia,Pakistan,Sudan
 In 2013, 681 young people (12-24 years) were
resettled in Queensland (31% of total settled)

6. www.eccq.com.au
HIV in Queensland
 In 2012, there were 206 new diagnoses of HIV
in Queensland
Number of new diagnoses in Queensland, 2008-2012
 Of the people diagnosed with HIV between
2008 - 2012 in Queensland, 6.6% were born in
Sub-Saharan Africa
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
HIV 166 182 205 195 206
AIDS 18 21 2 28 21

7. www.eccq.com.au
Community perspectives of HIV
 HIV is not a big issue in Australia because:
 everyone gets a health screening before they come
 people don’t look sick
 public campaigns are not as visible as back home – posters,
billboards, advertisements
 Many people only go to doctors when they are sick –
regular check ups are not a priority
 Talking about sex is taboo
 There’s no such thing as homosexuality in our culture
 Having faith in God can cure you from HIV

8. www.eccq.com.au
Issues facing young people
 Relatively high rates of STIs and teenage
pregnancies
 Difficulties in talking to their parents about
sexual health
 Attending workshops or clinics indicate they
are sexually active
 Divisions in the community

9. www.eccq.com.au
“Parents say that the youth are not listening to what they
say, they tend to take advice from outside the family.
Parents are not respected due to their limited education.
Youth are taking in the western culture more than their
parents’ culture. It breaks their parents’ hearts.”
“Young people say that their parents don’t understand their
feelings. There’s a lack of trust in the parents and whatever
they say.”
- Bilingual Health Worker, South Sudanese community

10. www.eccq.com.au
Engaging young people
 They like to be active
 Go to where they like to meet
 Use churches to reach young people
 Build trust and provide support
 Be involved in their activities

11. www.eccq.com.au
Play Safe Soccer Project
 Uses soccer to promote safe sex among African teams
 Covers: STI testing and treatment, traveling overseas, HIV
transmission, testing and the law, and support for PLHIV
 Opportunity to engage with coaches, teams, spectators
 In 2013 worked with 10 teams and over 230 young people
in Brisbane, Logan, Redbank Plains and Toowoomba
 Developed resources – soccer balls and bags
 Future plans:
 Offer HIV testing
 Organise a competition amongst teams

12. www.eccq.com.au
Ongoing challenges
 Expectation of providing equipment, uniforms,
food and transport
 Commitment of the coaches
 Delivering sessions outside – short,
distractions, taking time away from playing
 Need to think about appropriate incentives

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Play Safe Toowoomba

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Q & A
Do you have any questions?

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Discussion
What works in your country or
community?

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Acknowledgements
This program is funded by
Queensland Health

17. www.eccq.com.au
Contact
Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland
253 Boundary St, West End Q 4101
P: +61 7 3844 9166
F: +61 7 3846 4453
health@eccq.com.au
www.eccq.com.au