Positive Journeys

About this service

A peer support group for gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) who are living with HIV and have a migrant background/lived experience, now living in South London.

We create a safe space run by and for people with lived experience. People can meet and discuss different topics and interests. The group is run in English, so we can all communicate with each other, but the facilitators can speak some other languages, too, if needed to explain something.

The group will meet monthly/twice a month in Lambeth and Lewisham, alternating between discussions and social outings. We aim to create a social, supportive, informative and fun atmosphere.

Who can use this service?

The project is designed for gay, bisexual, and MSM living with HIV in South London with a migrant background/lived experience.

Why people use this service

• I want to meet other gay and bisexual men and MSM living with HIV who have also experienced being migrants
• I would like to understand more about HIV, U=U, and how to live well with HIV
• I need support dealing with my HIV
• I want to make a circle of friends living in a similar situation to mine
• I would like to learn more about the rights and responsibilities of migrants living in the UK
• I need to develop my confidence talking about HIV
• I want to learn more about other countries and cultures and understand more about the HIV-related stigma in other nations

How we can help

• Meet other gay, bisexual and MSM living with HIV who have also experienced being migrants
• Feel more confident talking about HIV with peers and others
• Increase your understanding of HIV stigma
• Get emotional support from other people living with HIV
• Improve your physical and emotional support
• Learn more about other cultures, traditions and perspectives from others living with HIV from a range of backgrounds
• Sharing our stories with each other
• Have fun and build a positive circle of people around you

Join our group and start your new journey with us

You can self-refer or if you know someone that would like to join us, you can refer them to us.

Once we hear from you, we'll reach out to you shortly and have a quick chat about joining the group. You can drop into any session, no need to attend every session if you don't want to.

Being a migrant in London can be very lonely, and being a migrant living with HIV can feel even more isolating. Positive Journeys is a place where you can meet others who know what it's like and come together to support each other.

Most new HIV diagnoses in the UK are among the migrant population, and sometimes people have nowhere to go for peer support. We want to tackle that problem by creating a safe space for MSM migrants living with HIV, where they will meet others who are not originally from the UK so they can be understood better.

A space for any MSM migrant living with HIV to socialise, feel safe, discuss any topics and make new connections to feel less isolated in the UK.

Currently there is no specific HIV peer support group for MSM migrants. As MSM migrants living with HIV will face overlapping challenges, we believe there is a need for specialised peer support - and this group aims to provide that specialised support.

How we make a difference

This group can make a difference to those of us with backgrounds/lived experience as migrants. It is aimed at a diverse range of gay, bisexual and MSM who are also living with HIV.

By meeting together we aim to support one another with any number of challenges we face. By building support, community and connection between each other, we aim to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. If you feel isolated, or like you want to meet others in a similar situation - to give support or to receive it - this group is for you. We will also have fun, social outings, discussion groups, films, chats, meals together and more.

The group will be co-produced with the people in it: sharing ideas and coming together to decide what to focus on, and what we would like to do together.