LATEST

ACAS office is closed to the public for 4 weeks from November 23 to December 18, 2020. As the number of COVID-19 cases in Toronto is rising, and for the safety of our service users and staff, we will continue to operate remotely, and deliver our online programs and phone services to you. Please contact program staff for service details. All staff will be working from home. No in-person services will be offered including appointments with the Support Program. Acupuncture appointments in this timeframe are also cancelled.

When You're Ready (WYR) is an 8-week program where East and Southeast Asian youth (ages 18-29) come together to discuss topics relating to their identity, with an emphasis on the whole idea of coming into your identity. What does it mean to be a queer and/or trans Asian youth? Did you recognize your queer-ness or Asian-ness first? What does it mean to be bi-cultural, biracial? Do you ever feel NOT Asian or queer enough? Is coming out part of the gay white agenda? These are just some of the questions we will be exploring as a group. Also, some topics we will touch upon are: anti-oppression, intersectionality, chosen family, shadeism, mindfulness and SO much more! QTAY Presents: When You're Ready CYCLE 1 Peer Leaders: Angela, Min and Vale! DATES: Nov 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 5, 10, 17 TIME: 6-8:30 PM for all sessions, EXCEPT December 5th (1pm-3:30pm). LOCATION: Zoom STRUCTURE OF WYR We will be capping CYCLE 1 at 10 participants to facilitate an intimate environment where youth can explore and discuss these topics more in-depth. So please RSVP as soon as you can! We will be meeting once a week, every Thursday evening starting November 12 to December 17th, 2020 (Nov 12, 19, 26, Dec. 3, 5, 10, 17) from 6-8:30PM online, except December 5th (Saturday, from 1pm-2:30pm). We encourage participants to attend all 8 sessions, but alas, the gig economy is real, school stress is very real and life in general is too real! So, please try to make at least 6/8 sessions! If you already know this is going to be tough to do, please refrain from signing up so that we can prioritize folks who can attend as many sessions as possible. If drop-in casual events are more your thing, keep an eye out for [...]

On behalf of Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS), it is my pleasure to invite you to our 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, November 21 from 2:00 – 3:30p.m. The highlight of our AGM is the ACAS award ceremonies for Aries Cheung for the Community Builder Award and Paul Fernandez who received (posthumous) the Patrick Truong Award. Please fill out an online registration form at https://forms.gle/CzCdJj3cWzViCwoW9. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will be holding our AGM this year via video-conference. We will send the program and meeting link to registered attendees closer to the day of the event. If you are interested in becoming a Board Member of ACAS, please contact me at boardchair@acas.org, or Noulmook Sutdhibhasilp, ACAS Executive Director, at ed@acas.org by Friday, November 13, 2020. I thank you for your continuous support of ACAS and look forward to seeing you at our AGM. Supporting our community, caring for our future, Fiona Lee Chair, Board of Directors Board Recruitment Info:

Dear ACAS service users, volunteers and allies, It has been 6 months since we closed our office to the public and quickly modified our services to respond to our service users’ needs. I would like to inform you that on Tuesday, September 8th, we will be opening our office to the public again with new normal safety features, and in-person modified services. In-person services will be provided by appointment only.  We ask you to Make an appointment with staff by phone, email, or text at least 24 hours in advance. Staff will confirm your appointment and remind you to answer COVID-19 pre-screening questions. Answer COVID-19 screening questions before coming to the ACAS office If you have one or more symptoms or do not feel well, do not come to the ACAS office. Self-isolate and consider getting a COVID-19 test or seek medical help. You can reschedule an in-person appointment or use our service by phone, or a virtual meeting. On your appointment day, come to ACAS office on time or 5 minutes before your appointment with no accompanied person. Sanitize your hands with a hand sanitizer or wash hands with soap in the nearest washroom. Wear a mask and practice a 2-meter social distancing at all times in the office. We will provide a mask if you forgot to bring it. Practice social distancing when using a public washroom and elevator in the building To make it safer for you to interact with staff, we have done the following: installed plexi-glass barriers and purchased portable ones, enhanced our cleaning protocols on high-touch surfaces, used floor marking signs for social distancing, rearranged furniture, and limit number of washroom users. Please note that we will continue delivering educational services and health promotion workshops virtually. The majority of staff still work remotely and [...]

INTERNAL JOB POSTING (For service users and volunteers) YOUTH PROGRAM COORDINATOR Application Deadline:  Thursday, September 17th Type of Contract: Full-time, 2.5 year contract Starting Date:  Immediately Interview Date: September 21st-23rd We are seeking a passionate and dedicated person to fill in the project coordinator’s position. The Queer & Trans Asian Youth When You’re Ready (WYR) is a three-year project which aims to increase resiliency and peer and service support networks for LGBTQ+ East and Southeast Asian youth related to coming out and/or queerness while supporting ties within cultural communities. Responsibilities  Plan, implement and evaluate the QTAY WYR Project Recruit, train and supervise 3 youth volunteers per year to assist with project activities Work with youth volunteers to plan, organize, and evaluate 4 WYR cycles a year Organize outreach to promote project in schools, community agencies, public events, and social media Develop materials suitable for WYR Monitor project budget and keep financial records Develop evaluation tools suitable for the project Maintain statistics, and prepare written progress reports Qualifications Familiarity with or lived experience in the East and Southeast Asian LGBTQ+ community Experience in project management Experience in workshop planning, group facilitation especially with youth Experience in community outreach Knowledge, interest, and experience in issues of HIV/AIDS, healthy sexuality, and harm reduction, and peer-based education concepts Excellent ability to prioritize, delegate, and handle multiple tasks Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Ability to work under a youth-friendly, queer-positive, sex-positive, and anti-oppressive framework Ability to work evenings and weekends occasionally Speak one of the East and Southeast Asian languages an asset Please send a cover letter, resume with 2 references by email to Hiring Committee Email: officeadmin@acas.org Subject: Job Application- Youth Coordinator ACAS supports employment equity. People from the East and Southeast Asian Canadian communities, LGBTQ+, and people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply [...]

INTERNAL JOB POSTING (Open for ACAS volunteers and service users) Project Lead - Rainbow GPS Project for Asian LGBTQ Newcomers Application Deadline: Sunday, September 6 Interview Date: Wednesday September 9 Contract: Short-term, Sept 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021 Start Date: Immediately Compensation: $2000 honorarium ACAS is seeking a passionate East or Southeast Asian cisgender or transgender person who self-identifies as part of the LGBTQ community, has lived experience as a newcomer, international student, or immigrant. The Rainbow GPS Project is a short-term orientation project for Asian LGBTQ newcomers transitioning to live in Toronto. Through 8 online sessions, LGBTQ themes are introduced including gender identities, coming out, relationships, consent, and sexuality by learning the language, culture, and resources to navigate and connect to the Toronto LGBTQ community. Qualifications Familiarity with or lived experience in the East and Southeast Asian LGBTQ communities Lived experience as an international student or newcomer a must Speak, write and understand one of the East and Southeast Asian languages Workshop design and facilitation skills Interpersonal and communication skills Demonstrated commitment to anti-homophobia, anti-oppression, and healthy sexuality principles Understanding of HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, harm reduction principles and practices Self-directed and able to work flexible hours (in the evenings and weekends) Computer skills: MS Office, Zoom or other Video Conferencing software Graphic design or experience in producing promotional materials (Facebook event poster) would be an asset Responsibilities Work with Education and Outreach Manager to plan, implement and evaluate project Coordinate and facilitate 8 workshop sessions with guest speakers Promote project to international student centres at universities and colleges, international student groups, settlement agencies, and ACAS network Recruit 8-10 participants per session who identify as East and Southeast Asian LGBTQ international students, newcomers, new immigrants, or with a temporary visa/permit Track project expenses and financial records Prepare project evaluation surveys [...]

Here is the latest ACAS report to update you on what's been going on. For more details on our virtual activities and events and how you can get involved, visit the ACAS Facebook at www.facebook.com/AsianCommunityAIDSServices or the events calendar on our website  

Dear ACAS members, supporters, and allies, With deep sorrow, we are informing you of the loss of funding to the ACAS Men's Program. Please read our official letter below for details. If you need further information regarding the funding cut and its impact on ACAS Men’s Program, or wish to support ACAS to save the program, feel free to contact Noulmook Sutdhibhasilp, Executive Director at ed@acas.org or Ryan Tran, Manager of Education and Outreach at men@acas.org any time.  

We are happy to announce that we are running the campaign for the second time. For those who have inquired about it or would like to support us, simply click https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/asian-community-aids-services/events/handcrafted-non-medical-mask-drive-for-acas-support-program/ This Covid19 pandemic has definitely affected a number of not-for-profit agencies and charities including ACAS. With your generosity, it will help us maintain and stabilize funds allocated for our Support Program’s PHA Funds. These funds are accessed by our clients in need particularly during this unprecedented time.     

Asian GBMSM International Students Knowledge Exchange Forum   Are you an international student, or are you someone who works with international students? Then this event is for you! Over the last few months, ACAS has had the opportunity to conduct a community needs assessment with respect to HIV prevention for East and Southeast Asian gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (GBMSM) international students, and we are now excited to be able to share some of our findings to fellow community partners and service providers. We are delighted to invite you to our Online Year-End Knowledge Exchange Forum on June 30th, 2020 from 2:30pm-4:30pm EST (via Zoom)! This event will include an opening testimonial, presentation of our findings, a panel discussion with community members, researchers and service providers to discuss emerging needs from their work with respect to HIV prevention and treatment access, specifically among East and Southeast Asian GBMSM international students. Our goal of this forum is not only to present some of our findings, but to also engage with community members, service providers and other researchers across sectors to generate a conversation about the unique needs of international students while also identifying how we can better support international students, together. Tentative agenda:  2:30-2:40pm - Opening Remarks 2:40-2:55pm - Testimonial: One International Student's Experience in Toronto 2:55-3:20pm - ACAS presentation of findings from the Needs Assessment 3:20-3:40pm - Panelist Introductions and Presentations (ft. Dr. Alan Li, Eugene Nam, Ryan Tran, Sucre Li) 3:40-4:20pm - Panel Discussion & Q&A. 4:20-4:30pm - Wrap up. If you are interested, please sign up in the following Survey Monkey link below. Space will be limited, so please register early! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9FTKCRB We look forward to seeing you at the forum!