NEW AIVL FUNDING & PROJECTS Presented by Annie Madden AIVL Executive Officer

1. NEW AIVL FUNDING & PROJECTS Presented by Annie Madden AIVL Executive Officer

2. OVERVIEW • Set the context to AIVL’s development • Outline the new/proposed funding and projects • Some thoughts on the next 2-3 years for AIVL

3. Why is this important? • There are new and some not so new faces here • We get so few opportunities to come together and talk about what we are doing and why • It is a time of change and development for AIVL • Want to make sure the AIVL member organisations have a clear understanding of AIVL’s work over the next 2-3 years • Identify opportunities for collaborations/synergies

4. CONTEXT • Much of the past 8 years have been about SURVIVAL… • AIVL is starting to reap the benefits of having maintained a stable, well functioning organisation for almost 20 years… • Rather than choosing between opposites: • Work within the system Vs work outside the system • Activist Vs non-activist • Pro-active Vs re-active

5. CONTEXT • AIVL has tried to combine a range of approaches to best meet the needs of users and the organisation • The result is ‘Strategic Activism’ • A combination of: • Overall strategic positioning for the organisation and the issues we represent + • Taking action on key issues of national significance for people who use illicit drugs (both pro-actively & re-actively)

6. CONTEXT • What does this mean in practice? • Overall/as an organisation we have developed a reputation for: • Getting things done; • Delivering on time; • Willingness to work in partnership; • Accountable and transparent; • Knowing our stuff; • Being reliable • Willing to speak up and act on issues for users: • Welfare quarantining; • Issues for drug users who are parents; • Health & human rights for prisoners; • Harm reduction issues • Drug treatment reform

7. CONTEXT • Sounds boring and ordinary BUT… • Change for drug users lives = years and years of hard work and chipping away • Rarely get any meaningful change quickly • Strategic choices has meant AIVL is still here to fight another day… • Here to take advantage of political change when & if it happens …

8. CONTEXT • With the backdrop of taking a ‘strategic activism’ approach to the organisation and our work • AIVL is in a period of development and growth • But this is not an overnight or new thing • It is the consequence of many years of hard work from many people • And there is still heaps more hard work to be done…

9. CONTEXT • Outline new and proposed funding for AIVL over the next 2-3 years: • Some is ongoing funding (renewed funding contracts) • Some are new funding responsibilities (auspicing) • Some are long term ideas or proposals that have finally become a reality • Some are still at the funding proposal stage.

10. CONTEXT • All are important in relation to: • Diversifying AIVL’s funding base; • Preventing an over-reliance on one source of funding; and • Increasing the range of issues AIVL is able to work on.

11. NEW (ONGOING)FUNDING • National Hepatitis C Program 2007-2009 • Hep C Education Program • Hep C Treatments & Policy Program • Funded by Hepatitis C Section, Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing. • AIVL’s ‘core’ funding since March 1998 – funds vast majority of AIVL positions + increasingly important issue for drug users • + new Hep C Treatments Officer

12. NEW (ONGOING)FUNDING • National Hepatitis C Program 2007-2009 • Peer Educator’s Training Project • Indigenous IDU Training Module Project • Vietnamese Peer Educator’s Project • AVANT Cards (Young People + emerging issue) • AIVL website (pod-casting, web movies, act now, etc) • Hep C Treatment Resource • Policy Discussion Paper Series • International Hepatitis Awareness Day • Representational/Advocacy (conferences, media, submissions, committees, etc) • AIVL Annual National Meeting

13. NEW (ONGOING) FUNDING • Continue auspicing ‘The Connection’ (peer-based Indigenous youth service) since late 2004 • New arrangement to auspice ‘CAHMA’ (AIVL member organisation in the ACT) commenced June 2007 • Auspicing CAHMA and The Connection has: • Created challenges • Created opportunities • Provides funding for some positions • AIVL charges an admin & management fee • AIVL provides overall project management, financial and administrative functions

14. NEW (ONGOING)FUNDING • TSU Project – 2nd Stage with funding from Drug Strategy Branch, DoHA (followed funding for Stage 1 (2005-2006) • Mid-2006 start negotiating for a Stage 2 Project • Has funded a new TSU Project/Policy position • This position is based in Melbourne • 22 month project • Project is based within the Treatments & Policy Program • TSU Project Stage 2 will: • Run consumer participation demonstration projects in up to 5 AOD services in NSW, VIC and WA (in partnership with DUOs) • Projects will be fully evaluated (collaboration with NCHSR) • Implement other recommendations from TSU Project Stage 1 Report (incl; development of consumer participation policy frameworks)

15. NEW FUNDING • Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) Project • Large, multi-project program focused on new and innovative approaches to drug policy • Non-government funded – private sector • 5 year program • DPMP auspiced by NDARC but independent of them • List of current DPMP projects at www.dpmp.unsw.edu.au • AIVL approached to conduct a ‘consumer-focused’ drug policy project • Drafted a project proposal for AIVL Exec and DPMP and this has been accepted.

16. NEW FUNDING • AIVL DPMP Project will have 3 phases: • Research Phase – to document the role that drug users and drug user organisations have played in drug policy in Australia; • Implementation Phase – to develop a ‘National Inclusion Statement’ to spell out how meaningful engagement with DUOs and users should be done and how to measure it – not tokenistic involvement and trial or pilot a new model for meaningful inclusion of DUOs and users in drug policy development; and • Capacity Building Phase – building the capacity of DUOs to be involved and contribute to drug policy (training advocates in policy development, writing funding proposals for DUOs to have policy positions, etc)

17. NEW FUNDING • Some of key questions for the project: • What has been the role and experience of drug user organisations in drug policy in Australia? • Can the experience of drug user organisations in drug policy ever be meaningful while individual people who use drugs are marginalised and criminalized? • Do the two experiences necessarily mirror each other? • Will the experience for drug user organisations and individual user representatives always be ‘token’ in this context? • Is there a way to achieve meaningful consumer input into drug policy in the future?

18. NEW FUNDING DPMP cont… • $150,000 for project • Will need to complete the project by 2012 • Currently developing the final project plan (hope to sign contract early 2008) • Exploring different models including: • Project Coordinator • Masters or PhD student scholarship • Other ways to ensure we have the right research skills on the project

19. NEW FUNDING • Funding for ‘Junkmail’ • After over 8 years of government funding… • AIVL rejected offer of continued government funding for Junkmail • Reasons: government censorship & delays with approvals • Sort and found non-government, private sector funding • Will allow AIVL to completely review magazine

20. NEW FUNDING • Funding for ‘Junkmail’ • Have established a Junkmail Reference Committee (with state/territory reps) • Have developed a “Junkmail Overview” policy document • National focus – not seeking to duplicate local mags - more international focus as well • Will continue with 2 issues per year (funding permitting) • Ongoing fundraising (subscriptions, advertising) • First issue out by March 2008

21. NEW FUNDING • Funding for ‘Handy Hints’ Edition 4 • One of AIVL’s most popular resources • Started lobbying for funding for new edition in early 2005 • June 2007 - funding from Hep C Section of Department of Health & Ageing • Established a Reference Committee (has met once) • Employed consultant to review and edit current edition • Will engage a legal expert to review and update legal information • AIVL members are updating local services directories • Plan to have the new edition out by June 2008 • Change of govt – hopefully less approval problems

22. NEW/PROPOSED FUNDING • AusAID Funding • Unsuccessful funding submission in mid-2005 • Started talking with AusAID in late 2006 (change in support for AIVL) • Possibility of funding AIVL for new HIV capacity building project • Invited to comment on new AusAID HIV Capacity Building Strategy in late 2006 • Early 2007 – invited to AusAID Workshop on HIV Capacity Building in the Asia Region • Mid- 2007 invited to join HIV Consortium – 10 Australian HIV organisations • Capacity building activities with drug user organisations and networks in the Asia region

23. NEW/PROPOSED FUNDING • AusAID Funding cont… • Consortium currently negotiating with AusAID for 3 years of funding • $300,000 - $350,000 per year per organisation • Additional $90,000 - $110,000 for management & consortium tasks • Huge step for AIVL as an organisation • Great opportunity to support DUOs in the region • Also need to remain focused on national role • Have commissioned a report on DUOs & networks in the region to inform AIVL’s proposed work plan • Attending Goa Conference on HIV & IDU Regional Issues

24. NEW/PROPOSED FUNDING • AusAID Funding cont… • Aim to develop work plan for AIVL program of activities by March 2008 • If successful will fund a new program area within AIVL for international work • Will employ a Program Manager (at AIVL) • Staff to work ‘in country’ and in Australia on program of activities & administration of project • AusAID funding – only focused on capacity building • Have commenced discussions with UNODC about need for a greater voice for drug users within countries and in the region.

25. PROPOSED FUNDING • National Comorbidity Project: • Capacity building and awareness raising • Education resources • GP Professional Development • AOD Sector Training • Partnership with ADGP and Beyond Blue & AIVL members • 2 year project • Will submit funding proposal by Dec 2007 • ‘Unsolicitored’ proposal – following original submission to the ‘Improved Services Measure’ funding round • If funded - 1 senior project officer position • If funded – project will commence in early to mid 2008

26. PROPOSED FUNDING One-off funding for research and consultancies • In the past – • Barriers and Incentives to Drug Treatment Research • Adjunct Comorbidity Study • In 2008 – • Best practice approach to ‘Cleaning Injecting Equipment’ • National project – funded under the COAG NSP Supporting Measures Initiative • Implemented by NSW Health • Literature review + report with recommendations • Critical that AIVL leads this project • Funding for a 6 month project consultant

27. PROPOSEDFUNDING • Funding for drug treatment and illicit drugs work • All work on these issues is done ‘on top’/unfunded • Have submitted a proposal to Drug Strategy Branch • Funding proposal was ‘requested’ • New AIVL program area • 3 new staff positions: • Drug Treatment Program Manager • ATS Project Officer • Harm Reduction Project Officer • Will allow AIVL to take a strategic approach to drug treatment and illicit drug issues • A meeting to be set to progress this proposal

28. THE FUTURE • AIVL is in a period of growth and change • Many challenges ahead for the organisation • New work to develop internal structures • Grow with purpose - don’t grow too big or too quickly • Main challenge - working in partnership while continuing to set our own agenda