The Integrated Client Services below are supported by the Health Promotion and Outreach Team (HPO Team). These services are accessible to Nine Circles' clients. Learn more about The HPO Team.

Outreach

The team meets clients in their own environment, including home visits, street outreach, hospitals, detoxification units, treatment facilities, and venues where clients gather. Referrals to this program come from the Nine Circles Primary Care Program, Health Sciences Centre HIV Program as well as from partners, family and friends of people infected with HIV who want more support for their loved ones. 

Aboriginal Mentorship

The Aboriginal Support Worker and program volunteers provide an opportunity for First Nations, Inuit, non-status and Metis to make an initial program connection through someone from their own culture.  The program works to improve access to services for all Aboriginal clients, linking them with resources internally and externally with Elder support, cultural ceremonies, and continued connections spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Cultural events include:

• Ceremonies in the Nine Circles Round room
• Naming ceremonies
• Sharing circles
• Pipe ceremonies and feasts
• Smudging/cleansing   
• Sweat lodge ceremonies (St. Benedict's retreat Centre)
• Medicine picking
• Arrange access to conferences and skills building workshops
• Referrals to services (e.g. Speaking to an elder)

Community Networking

The Community Network program facilitates health and wellness programs for Nine Circles clients and their partners and families.

By attending activities at Nine Circles, they are able to link to new supports and resources as well as enjoy a fun and friendly environment. Classes and informative workshops are offered regularly for clients wishing to expand their skill base and knowledge base in the areas of Computer Training, Employment education such as Resume Building, Interview capacity building, and other areas such as complimentary healing alternatives including meditation, massage, acupuncture.

• In the Gathering Place, clients engage in fun peer-interaction and learn team-building skills. The staff of the Aboriginal program and other programs, and volunteers including client volunteers, regularly participate in the planning and implementing of all activities. New and rekindled friendships are formed – encouraging the creation of valuable social networks. This helps to support clients and family members by strengthening their networks and connections to the community. Because of the success of the Gathering Place, expanded hours are planned in 2008.
• The Nine Circles Food Bank is also part of the Community Network program. Working closely with the Volunteer Coordinator, Winnipeg Harvest, and the seasoned food bank volunteers, the food bank operates every week to provide an adequate supplement of food for our HIV positive clients.
• Activities  - for activities this month please see the event calendar. Community networking activities includes skills-building workshops, bingos, movies, board games, holiday parties, cooking classes, knitting classes and more.

Volunteering

A number of clients at Nine Circles become volunteers. The Volunteer Services Program recruits, trains, supports and recognizes individuals who choose to contribute their time with our organization. Through our partnership with the Canadian AIDS Treatment and Information Exchange (CATIE) , an excellent and knowledgeable training team provides Nine Circles volunteers with HIV Training. Nine Circles volunteers are provided opportunities to:

• Share existing skills
• Share life experience as an HIV+ person
• Develop new skills and knowledge
• Participate in ongoing education and training
• Gain valuable work experience/references or career exploration
• Get to know new people and communities
• Grow personally

Learn how to become a volunteer.