What do we need to do?

It is not a difficult or onerous process to apply for Positive Allies. You simply need to complete our pre-supplied HIV and AIDS Awareness online training, adopt our supplied HIV staff/volunteer policy and have a named Champion to get your organisation initially prepared. Then you can apply for Positive Allies in order to start the process of making your organisation a safer place for people living with HIV to work or volunteer.

The first stage is to decide what level of Positive Allies that your organisation is going to apply for, we have two levels with goals to reach in each level:

You can apply for Level One (entry level):

demonstrate that the organisation has an effective Champion within the workplace who can work as a point of contact for people living with HIV and to drive this award forward (this would be a named person in the organisation and this would be present in any literature in the organisation);
the organisation has a continuously reviewed policy that explicitly bars discrimination of someone living with HIV (this would be in your HIV staff and volunteer policy which we supply an example of that you can use and adopt, below);
the organisation has a bullying and harassment policy which clearly indicates zero tolerance around stigma of those living with HIV (this would be added to your existing policy);
Key members of he organisation complete our free HIV and AIDS Awareness online training course to increase their knowledge and awareness of HIV stigma and HIV awareness (you then provide us with numbers of staff or volunteer members who have completed our free HIV and AIDS Awareness training that we supply below);
The organisation demonstrates a clear commitment to build on the work they have already done and to strive for more (you show in your form that you are progressing in other ways to make your organisation HIV-friendly and inclusive. For example, running an event for World AIDS Day).

Or, you can apply for Level Two (advanced level) if you have reached the goals of Level One and want to take this further:

demonstrate continued achievement of all aspects contained in Level One;
demonstrate that the organisation takes active steps to support HIV charities and community groups (this could be through your staff or volunteers taking part in fundraising activities, volunteer support, partnership working, joint research projects and so on);
demonstrate that the organisation has a visible presence of relevant HIV literature and awareness (there are clear posters, leaflets, a noticeboard for example, all present within the organisation – many of these can be sourced from HIV organisations such as Terrance Higgins Trust or the National AIDS Trust).
You can apply directly to either level one of Positive Allies, however, if you wish to apply for Level Two, you must show evidence that you have reached the goals in Level One.

Now you have decided your level of Positive Allies, see below for some free resources to help to speed up your application.