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Please see some tips from ACAS Health Promotion Team Tips for Stress Management to manage stress and your mental health during self isolation:  Accept that some anxiety and fear is normal COVID-19 is a new virus and we are still learning about it. The uncertainty about the virus and the changes that are unfolding can make most people feel a bit anxious. Anxiety is normal and natural, it can help motivate us to take action to protect ourselves and others, and to learn more about the pandemic. Anxiety motivates us to assess the potential dangers to ourselves or loved ones and to take the necessary steps to assure safety. Find a balance: Know what is going on, but know when to take a break While staying informed is helpful, having information overload will not provide extra benefit. Limit checking sources to once per day or set a limit that is right for you. This includes reading or listening to news stories about COVID-19. Even though things are shifting rapidly, daily changes are not likely to affect how you should manage your risk. How to deal with self isolation: Being isolated can be very lonely. Remember though to continue to isolate from your friends and family, to ensure the virus does not spread to others. People placed in quarantine or self-isolation may experience a wide range of feelings, including fear, anger, sadness, irritability, guilt or confusion. They may find it hard to sleep. Some people might feel relieved. Humans are social creatures and need connection to others to thrive, which can make isolation challenging. The following suggestions may help you through this challenging time: Keep busy Create and stick to a schedule for work, leisure, chores, meals, physical activity and sleep. It is important to maintain some sort of routine, however if [...]

Recently ACAS held an online workshop Fri Apr 17, 7:00pm about sex toys and safer sex, 12+ people attended remotely... We talked about expanding what sex meant and how to have it in these times, keeping risk management and our own boundaries in mind.   Another ENGAGING workshop on today https://www.facebook.com/events/504881323730643  

Dr Eileen De Villa, Medical Officer of Health, ordered the following measures that will take effect immediately April 1st for up to 12 weeks. All those confirmed positive are to stay home under the Health Protection and Promotion Act for 14 days. All those who have had close contact with someone confirmed positive are to stay home for 14 days. Everyone who is not sick or has not travelled is “strongly directed” to stay home except for the following essential needs: accessing healthcare or medication, groceries once a week, walking pets and daily exercise, while maintaining social distancing protocols. Residents returning home from international travel are to stay home, as directed by a federal order. Anyone over the age of 70 is encouraged to stay home as much as possible. The city is looking to increase support for those experiencing homelessness in regard to self-isolation. Only businesses deemed essential should remain open but are to practice maintaining social distancing protocols, infection prevention and control practices and limit in-person access. Businesses are also asked to increase cleaning and active screening of employees at all businesses. https://globalnews.ca/news/6761181/coronavirus-toronto-covid-19-health-april-1/ REMINDER FROM ACAS Due to the coronavirus outbreak, ACAS office will be closed to the public until further notice. The decision was made in order to ensure health of our staff, participants, and communities. In-person services and program delivery are suspended with most staff working from home. We will respond to your phones, emails remotely and Support program staff will offer in-person assistance only on crucial services. Find out how you can reach us at http://acas.orgacas-offices-closed/ KEEP WELL.  

Hello ACAS members, Please be advised that upon careful consideration, ACAS has decided to close the office as well as suspend all in-person services and program delivery until further notice.  The decision was made in order to support the health of our staff, participants, and communities.  Support program staff will offer services virtually, and in-person assistance only for crucial services. You can still reach staff by phone or email.  If you wish to contact specific staff members by phone, you will find their names and extension numbers below. ACAS 416-963-4300 Support (Men's) - Alex 222 Support (Women's) - Amutha 223 Admin - Mina 100 ED - Noulmook 227 Health Promo - Kenneth 231 Accountant 231 Men's Ryan 235 Men's - Greg 236 Men's - Zack 254 QTAY/Youth - Gabriel 229 CHAMP - Trisha 232 Int'l Students - Kai 234 Thank you for your understanding and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Take care of yourselves and others! Be well until we get to see you again next!

Starting today (March 13) till April 30, we decided to suspend the following program activities, meetings, and workshops: QTAY When You’re Ready session on March 13th CHAMP in Action training series on March 14th , 21st, 22nd , and 28th Health Promotion workshop on March 19th Acupuncture clinic on March 23rd HIV Testing at ACAS on March 24th Men’s Program Hump Day on March 25th ACAS 25th Anniversary Banquet on March 27th S.L.A.M. Sex, Love Asian Men Community Forum on April 4th and Health Promotion workshop on April 10th

Please find a message from ACAS Board of Directors regard COVID-19 situation released March 13, 2020.

March 13, 2020 Dear ACAS members, service users and supporters, Subject: COIVD 19 (Corona Virus) and ACAS operational response I want to provide you with an update on our response to COVID 19 (Corona Virus) outbreak and our commitment to community safety. To date, we have been following updates from health authorities and WHO. We want to ensure that community members are well informed and that we are operating our programs from a place of reliable evidence and facts, not fear. We want to do our best to minimize the service disruption. At the same time, we take precautions and follow the guidelines of The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in Community-based Measures to Mitigate the Spread of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). Starting today (March 13) till April 30, we decided to suspend the following program activities, meetings, and workshops: QTAY When You’re Ready session on March 13th CHAMP in Action training series on March 14th , 21st, 22nd , and 28th Health Promotion workshop on March 19th Acupuncture clinic on March 23rd HIV Testing at ACAS on March 24th Men’s Program Hump Day on March 25th ACAS 25th Anniversary Banquet on March 27th S.L.A.M. Sex, Love Asian Men Community Forum on April 4th and Health Promotion workshop on April 10th We will continue providing in-person services (case management, one-on-one support) for all program participants. To protect yourself and others, we ask our clients, visitors and volunteers to Answer screening questions before using the service Encourage people to use telephone service as alternative to in-person service when applicable Use individual safety measures: wash hands regularly or use hand sanitizer, cover cough and sneeze, and stay home when sick Use social distancing measure (staying at least 3 feet away from each other) We will clean frequently touched surfaces such as [...]

JOB POSTING - PILLOW TALK COORDINATOR Timeline:  March-July 2020  Deadline to submit application:  Sunday, March 08,2020 We are looking for a passionate and energetic woman to organize Pillow Talk –the Sexual Health Community Forum for East and Southeast Asian women. Pillow Talk draws lessons from real-life experiences of cis and trans women. Format of the forum in the past are: a panel discussion, break out sessions, health promotion workshops/activities, HIV testing, and networking lunch. This is a peer-based position with $1,500 honorarium.   Responsibilities Recruit and form a working group of 4-5 women volunteers to plan, implement, and evaluate the Pillow Talk Forum Work with the working group to plan and organize Pillow Talk Promote the forum and recruit 25-30 participants Organize a one-day forum Evaluate process and outcome of the project Prepare final report to be submitted to funder   Qualifications member of the East and Southeast Asian communities or experienced working with the East and Southeast Asian communities Demonstrated commitment to anti-homophobia, anti-oppression, and healthy sexuality Excellent interpersonal, and communication skills Self-directed, and willingness to work flexible hours and on some weekends Ability to work as part of a team and independently Fluent in one of the East and Southeast Asian languages an asset MS Office, social media skills Knowledge, interest, and experience in issues of HIV/AIDS, healthy sexuality, and harm reduction, and peer-based education concepts Ability to prioritize, delegate, and handle multiple tasks   Please send a cover letter, resume with 1 reference by email to:     Subject: Pillow Talk Forum Organizer Email: officeadmin@acas.org   We regret that we will only contact candidates selected for interviews.  

ACAS is proud to support and invites you to: Invisible Footprints 0.3: Life To Art: Retracing Footprints Across Generations Symposium and Video Screening February 15, 2020 Toronto Media Arts Centre (32 Lisgar Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto) 2pm-9pm This event is free and open to all. TMAC is wheelchair accessible.   Invisible Footprints (IF) is proud to present, Life To Art: Retracing Footprints Across Generations, our video screening and symposium event. For the past six months, IF has been working with a group of youth artists to explore different facets of Toronto’s LGBTQ East and Southeast Asian communities, histories and identities. Having participated in our two workshops and four public forums, these artists have been connecting with ‘elders’ within the community, tracking down archival materials and learning the various ways veteran activists, artists and community members have organized or represented themselves. Please join us on February 15 for the premiere screening of the video works the artists have produced in response to both these issues as well as their own independent investigations. Programs: - Reception - Video Screening: premiere of video works by Youth Artists - Artist Talk: featured artists will speak about their videos and research process. Talk will be followed by audience Q&A - Intergenerational Panel: dialogues between ‘elders’ and youth artists sharing community/life experiences and having them be inspiration for art. Panel will be followed by audience Q&A Doors Open: 2pm Screening: 2:45pm - 4pm Artist Talk: 4:30pm - 5:30pm Keynote / Panel (featuring longtime community members and youth artists): 6pm – 7pm Repeat Screening 7:45pm – 9pm Reception in between programs. Light refreshments will be served. Featured Youth Artists: Amanda Ann-Min Wong Becca Wijshijer Dinaly Joyce Tran Kaythi Rui Liu Tyler J Sloane Vale Artist Talk Moderator: Khanh Tudo Special Guest Panelists: Jo SiMalaya Alcampo Nancy Seto [...]

ACAS supports OCASI action and York Region District School Board for it's action against discrimination and xenophobia. Read the full statement here: http://www.ocasi.org/statement-against-discrimination-and-xenophobia