Implementing Comprehensive HIV/STI Programmes with Sex Workers Implementing Comprehensive HIV/STI Programmes with | Page 73

3 Community-led Services 4. Adapt outreach tools for community outreach workers. These may include daily and monthly tracking forms that assess each individual’s risk and vulnerability factors as well as their access to services. Outreach tools should be pictorial for community outreach workers with low literacy (see Figure 3.7). 5. Develop a tiered training plan to enhance community outreach workers’ skills, confidence and leadership (see below, and Box 3.4). This should incorporate regular training of new community o utreach workers to ensure that an adequate number is always available. Training should also advance community outreach workers’ skills and exposure to all components of the programme, e.g. making sure that community outreach workers are able to explain clinic procedures to sex workers. 6. Develop a career progression plan for community outreach workers to ensure they have the opportunity to take on greater leadership responsibility for programme activities, and to oversee outreach and other aspects of the programme, including roles that may have belonged to NGO staff. Link this to activities that enable community outreach workers to demonstrate leadership through outreach, safe-space activities, community committees, etc. 7. Explain sex worker progression in the NGO to non-sex worker staff if necessary, to ensure there is no perception of competing interests (see Chapter 6, Section 6.2.8). Recruiting community outreach workers In the initial stages of a programme, selecting community outreach workers may be an informal process: the implementing organization may invite sex workers who have been involved in the initial mapping and planning stages to remain involved in the new programme as community outreach workers, and/or to identify other sex workers with the potential to fulfil this role. In either case, the selection criteria listed in Box 3.3 should be considered. It is also important to observe the rapport between sex workers involved in mapping and other members of their community. Box 3.3 Suggested selection criteria for a community outreach worker • Currently active as a sex worker, and has time to do outreach • Committed to the goals and objectives of the programme • Knowledgeable about the local context and setting • Accepted by the community • Accountable to the community as well as to the programme • Tolerant and respectful of other sex worker communities where differences may exist • Able to maintain confidentiality • Good listening, communication and interpersonal skills • Self-confident and with potential for leadership • Potential to be a strong role model for the behaviour she/he seeks to promote with others • Willing to learn and experiment in the field • Committed to being available to other sex workers if they experience violence or an emergency 51