Program Objectives
-
Increase knowledge
and awareness about the AIDS crisis, the prevalence of STDs, teenage
pregnancy, and Hepatitis C for pastors, leaders, teachers and seminarians
through training.
-
Inform, empower
and equip sensitive and compassionate church and faith-based leadership
that compassionately serve HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons.
-
Reduce stigma
and discrimination regarding HIV/AIDS in persons who are fearful
and lack information.
-
Increase responsible
behavior and decision making for safer sex practices and good health
maintenance.
Program Components
-
Pastoral and
Congregational Needs Assessment
-
Model Sermons
and Preaching Practicum
-
Interactive
AIDS 101 Workshops
-
Facilitated
Panel Discussions with Persons Living with AIDS (PLWA)
-
Capacity Building
and Technical Assistance Services
-
Community Service
Projects
-
1 800 Anonymous
Testing Hotline
-
Network to other
Faith-Based Service Providers
Program Description
SOEPI is a multifaceted
HIV education and prevention training program that informs and equips
pastors and faith-based leaders who serve in and/or lead congregations
that consist of persons at risk of HIV/AIDS.
The institute incorporates
dynamic preaching with interactive workshops assisting pastors and faith-based
leaders to understand how the powerful medium of preaching can be used
once again in the African American community in the midst of profound
suffering and anguish to help people experience hope, empowerment and
victory.
SOEPI has several
innovative features including targeting pastors; modeling sermons which
address HIV/AIDS and related themes; engaging dialogue to promote theology
for the crisis of AIDS; facilitated panel presentations; church-led
anonymous testing hotline; program evaluation; and church community
service projects.
Program Goals
SOEPI will create
changes reducing transmission of the HIV virus in the African American
community through these four simple goals:
SOEPI will
Enable...
Pastors and faith-based
leaders to gain skills to persuasively articulate a Biblically-based
theology which understands, educates and preaches about the subject
of HIV/AIDS and related factors including its transmission, testing
and prevention.
SOEPI will
Offer...
Pastors an opportunity
to meet and hear the stories of people who have HIV/AIDS and doctors
who care for them.
SOEPI will
Help...
Support pastors
and faith-based leaders through technical assistance to become proactive
in addressing the local AIDS crisis in their community through community
involvement and service projects.
SOEPI will
Link...
Anonymous testing
within the Black faith community with spiritual support.
SOEPI Fills a
Need
AIDS education has
not reached the ãheartä of the African American community because a
majority of education and intervention methods have bypassed the Black
Church.
The largest group
of African Americans can be found gathered in churches weekly because
they are spiritual people whose existence is deeply rooted in and linked
to the church. Black churches traditionally have helped mobilize people
from fear to action, from hatred to love, from oppression to liberty,
from ignorance to awareness, and from indifference to advocacy.
