We introduced our new purpose and values in March 2024, after a community input process called Vision Our Future. This process was possible because of 40+ years of volunteer and community efforts, passionate individuals, and the AIDS Vancouver team. We are so grateful for what has been built.

 

Over 100 people participated, and as we listened, we heard about how people want to feel when connecting with our programs and services, the role of people living with HIV in the HIV response when it comes to prevention and care, and the importance of seeing each unique experience with our shared experiences of HIV and HIV stigma. We heard how important our relationships are, and how people want us to show up when we need to change or do better.  

 

We took all of this and tried to pack it in to our new purpose statement and our four values, each of which represents so many more within it. Each one of these values reflects our commitment to the people who count on our programs and services for now and well into the future. Our four values are overlapping and connected, on purpose, and we are so excited to share them with you:

Our purpose: We support and empower our communities in overcoming the impacts of HIV and HIV stigma.

However you are part of our communities, our purpose makes it clear that our role is to support and empower you, and the communities around you, to make sure the ways HIV and HIV stigma impact your life do not make you smaller. Whether or not we are living with HIV, the virus and the stigma can make it harder to have the sex we want, build a family (chosen or otherwise), get the healthcare we need, and be our full selves without fear. And we are here to change that.  

Our new purpose statement has five concepts:

  • support which has been the backbone of AIDS Vancouver’s programs and services, whether the practical support of the Grocery program for the Financial Assistance Fund, the dedication of case managers and volunteers, support is one of the things we do best and will carry into the future.  
  • empower is a new opportunity for us to let communities lead within and beyond our organization, encouraging the strengths we see every day in individuals and communities   
  • our communities: there has never been just one community here at AIDS Vancouver, and we are so glad to highlight this in our new purpose statement. Our communities – and our team of staff and volunteers – contain multitudes: Indigenous peoples, long-term survivors and newly diagnosed people, newcomers, HIV-positive and HIV-negative people wanting to explore safer sex and harm reduction, sex workers, sober people and people who are relying on substances to make it through the day, gender diverse people, trans and cis women, and so many others. 
  • HIV: yes, we are remaining specific to HIV and we heard over and over again we must. We will be as holistic as we can, going beyond just the virus itself. We will continue to include the important lessons of AIDS, as much as we can know them, and support people who have a past or present AIDS diagnosis, and those for whom the AIDS days loom large.   
  • HIV stigma is perhaps the most consistent thing we heard about in every consultation. It is a barrier to connecting whether to AIDS Vancouver, culture, social support or health care. Stigma was often shared as a reason to change our name from AIDS Vancouver, and yet we heard loud and clear that someone has to do something to change that stigma. In this process, we decided that we are someone we have been waiting for.  

Our values

  • We nurture meaningful involvement of people living with HIV.  

  • We welcome our communities.  

  • We honour every journey.  

  • We are accountable. 

More information about each value is available here.

Ultimately, our new purpose, values, and name are a celebration of our communities past and present: what we have built, and what we have learned along the way; the connection and community borne out of remarkable grief and loss. As we share our new purpose, values, name and look, we are also celebrating what you told us you want to see change, the parts of us that will stay the same, and most importantly, they ways we will continue to show up for people living with HIV - and our broader communities - for years to come.

 

Whether you like this name, purpose, and values, and the parts of us that are changing – or you don’t – we are holding space for that and the many other feelings as all of us adjust to change.  As we embrace our new purpose and values, and yes, our new name, we want to assure you that if you are looking for AIDS Vancouver, we are still here. We will be continuing our usual programs and services, making sure they reflect out new purpose and values.

Read the story behind our new purpose, values, name and look or watch the March 26 announcement made by our Executive Director, Sarah Chown.