MODULE TWO: COUNSELLING - FHI 360 Center for Global Health ...

• Discussed special issues relating to adolescents, gender and
death/grieving
• Identified difficult counseling situations and practised intervention techniques
• Explored strategies for managing stress and burnout
• Reviewed YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline calling policies and procedures
HISTORY OF THE YEF HIV/AIDS HOTLINE
History of the YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline
The HIV/AIDS Hotline was started by the Youth Empowerment Foundation (YEF)
on 14 th February 2000. The hotline was started in response to various
controversies surrounding HIV/AIDS in Nigeria at that time, particularly on claims
for cure. Now the hotline provides information on a variety of issues related to
HIV/AIDS, ranging from where to have a HIV test to referrals on care and
support for people living with the virus. Callers pay for calls made to the hotline,
while YEF pays for follow-up contacts like e-mail, fax messages, and letters.
The YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline has only one line and is available during the hours of
9 am to 12 noon in the morning to 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the evening on weekdays
only (Mondays through Fridays). However many calls come in outside this slated
time and during weekends.
YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline Statistics
No media campaigns have been carried out by YEF for the hotline. Promotion of
the YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline has been based on the use of press releases to various
media organisations, in addition to electronic media interviews granted. Usually,
volume of calls increases after such media presence and fizzles out until another
media activity. Now we maintain a regular group of callers. An analysis of calls
was carried out using Epidemiological Information after one month and one year
of operation. The statistics presented here were recently collated after a year,
we do not have a record of hoax calls and all data are based on new calls
received.
•Total number of calls placed to YEF HIV/AIDS Hotline: 150 calls
• Sex of callers: 83% male, 17% female
•Geographical location of callers: South-West 77%
South-East 3%
South-South 5%
North-East 3%
North-West 5%
North-Central 5%
Session 1 – Pg. 2