Strategic Context
Background
UNISEX is a unique project. There is no other University in the UK with a similar service. Our existence came about because the Universities and Student Unions wanted to respond to the growing HIV epidemic in the late 1980’s and jointly funded a three year post – AIDS Campaign Co-ordinator. In the early 1990’s, external funding was found from AVERT (AIDS Education Research Trust) which helped to further develop the awareness-raising work by including a research element. In 1994 the local health authority replaced AVERT as the external funder in recognition of the ongoing need to maintain HIV prevention work and sexual health promotion within the student population of Brighton & Hove, and the project began to view the involvement of student volunteers as integral to it’s strategy. It was in 1996 that the name UNISEX was created by the volunteers themselves, helping to give them a sense of ownership of the project.
UNISEX Today
Although UNISEX is jointly funded by the University of Brighton and University of Sussex, it’s existence relies upon external funding from the NHS through the Brighton & Hove City Primary Care Trust, with whom we negotiate a contract on an annual basis. This contract is called a Service Level Agreement and it is this which determines our workload for the year. UNISEX also receives funding in kind from the University of Sussex Students Union through the space that they provide for us, IT support and graphic design services. The value of this cannot be underestimated. Support in kind is also given by the University of Brighton Students Union who provide office and drop-in space at the Cockcroft campus.
Priority Groups
Brighton & Hove has the second highest prevalence of HIV infection in the UK (the highest is London). Prevalence means the proportion of the population that are infected with HIV. Within that population, HIV incidence (the rate at which people become infected with HIV) is highest among gay and bisexual men. This means that gay and bisexual men who are sexually active have more chance of coming into contact with HIV than the general population, making this group a higher priority for HIV prevention and sexual health promotion work. The incidence of HIV infection among heterosexuals in the UK is highest among people from sub-saharan Africa and the Indian sub-continent. Again, this means that this group of people are a higher priority for HIV prevention and sexual health promotion work.
The student population of Brighton and Sussex Universities totals around 30,000 of which 11% are from black and minority ethnic communities and internal sources suggest that at least 15% are gay or bisexual. Nationally, prevalence of HIV infection is higher in gay/bisexual men and black and minority ethnic people compared with the general population as a whole, and this inequality demonstrates the need for sexual health promotion and HIV prevention initiatives to be targeted at these groups. In Brighton & Hove, 82% of people living with HIV infection are gay/bisexual men and 7% are from black and ethnic minority communities. 67% of the local student population are aged between 18 - 25 years. Nationally rates of STIs (sexually-transmitted infections) are highest among the 18 – 25 age group, reflecting a high level of unprotected sexual activity. University life offers young people the opportunity to experiment sexually, and frequent partner change during this time is common.
Your Voice
This section of the website is for students from our priority groups to use as a resource. It features journal articles, research, recommended book titles and more. All of these have been submitted by students for the beneift of their peers.
