Migration & Sexual Health Programs

Peer-to-Peer Consultations & Workshops

In 2023, we welcomed Logic Plicht to our team, who developed a fresh concept for consultation hours and workshops, which she has been conducting in shared refugee accommodation facilities since that summer. She is supported by Massalé Sankhon, who was trained through the "Salam" project run by our state association. Together, they offer consultation hours and workshops on a wide range of health topics. Between them, they cover English, French, Italian, and Spanish; when needed, they are accompanied by a volunteer language interpreter who speaks Turkish. The entire team brings cultural sensitivity along with extensive experience and expertise.

More Information About the Program

What the Program Covers
Since topics like sexuality and STIs are often stigmatized, we do not start with them right away. Instead, we build trust in a confidential, supportive environment. Our interactive sessions focus on:

• Movement: Boosting physical fitness, mental well-being, and body confidence.
• Art & Creativity: Using painting, drawing, and crafts as a therapeutic outlet for stress relief and self-expression.
• Sexual Health & Rights: Providing vital facts on safer sex, HIV/STI prevention, the menstrual cycle, and birth control.
• Human Rights & Equality: Advocating for women, queer individuals, and those living with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
• Holistic Empowerment: Building self-esteem and independence, specifically supporting women with education and resources.

Our Mission
We want to create a genuine safe space. By providing multilingual resources and open discussions, we empower participants to make informed decisions about their bodies, protect their rights, and actively engage in their communities with confidence.

How It Works on On-Site

• Flexible Formatting: We adapt to your facility’s schedule and setup. All we need is a private room to ensure confidentiality.
• Interactive Methods: We use group discussions, role-plays, hands-on exercises, or private 1-on-1 consultations tailored to the cultural backgrounds of the group.
• 100% Free of Charge: To ensure absolute accessibility, Aidshilfe Heidelberg provides all staff, multilingual brochures, and barrier methods (condoms/femidoms) completely free of cost.

Where We Operate

• Our services are flexible and can be brought directly to a variety of settings, including:
• Shared accommodation & refugee facilities
• VABO classes (pre-qualification language classes for international students)
• Integration courses
• ...and many other community spaces.

Would you like to host a drop-in consultation hour or an interactive workshop at your facility? We look forward to hearing from you!

Professional Training & Capacity Building
We advise and train professionals and volunteers who work with individuals of non-German origin, particularly across the medical, social, and community support sectors.

The Challenges We Address

• Navigating Taboos: Discussing sexuality and infectious diseases can be incredibly difficult due to deep-rooted cultural stigmas.
• High Responsibility: Displaced individuals and refugees often have limited access to health education, making on-site staff and volunteers their vital first point of contact.
• Fear of Stigma: The fear of being outed runs deep. Many individuals living with HIV withhold their diagnosis from staff out of fear of exclusion, which can dangerously delay their access to life-saving medical care.

How We Support Your Team
In a fast-paced professional routine, finding the time for independent research or long-term relationship building is tough. We also understand that staff members have their own questions and anxieties regarding HIV and STIs. Our training sessions provide a structured space to:

• Openly address uncertainties and ask questions in a judgment-free environment.
• Expand both your practical health expertise and your intercultural social competence.
• Develop tailored, actionable solutions specifically designed for your team’s daily workspace.

We meet our professional colleagues as equals, ensuring that your team feels confident, informed, and fully equipped to support vulnerable groups effectively.

Additional Migration Outreach Services

We advise HIV-positive individuals of non-German origin on (socio-)legal, medical, psychosocial, and financial matters. If needed, we can arrange for language interpreters to assist during the consultations.

We advise professionals and volunteers working in the migration sector on questions regarding HIV/AIDS and sexual health.

We provide information on HIV and other health-related topics in English, French, Persian, Arabic, and various other languages.

We supply safer sex materials. Our counseling center stocks condoms in various sizes, lubricant, dental dams, and internal condoms (femidoms), which we are happy to distribute free of charge.