The Men's Wellness Program promotes men's wellness with the primary focus to reduce HIV and STIs on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands amongst men who get it on with men.

We encourage gay, bisexual and other men who enjoy having sex with men to make informed choices about their own sexual health and wellbeing. We educate men about sex  – how to reduce HIV, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections  – and ultimately, how to have better sex lives.

By taking good care of ourselves, we take good care of our community.

What the Men’s Wellness Program does:

1. Information: We send out notices of interest to the men on the MWP subscribers email list. To join contact robert.birch(at)avi.org. We maintain community information boards at venues around Vancouver Island, and publish educational material relevant to the health issues of the day concerning men who have sex with men. MWP also produces Men's Briefs, the e-magazine of the Men's Wellness Program.
2. Group support: The Men’s Wellness Program is committed to offering a safe environment for men to talk about being gay or bi with other guys, and how that impacts on their sexual, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual health and wellbeing. We facilitate gay men's weekend retreats, discussion groups, Chat & Chews, coffee socials and peer training in Victoria, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River and Port Hardy throughout the year.
3. Solo support: The Gay Community Development Co-ordinator for the MWP is available for one-to-one discussion and support and also answers a support line at:  1-866-277-9055.
4. Outreach: MWP provides free access to condoms and lube at Paparazzi Night Club (642 Johnson St.) & AIDS Vancouver Island locations across Vancouver Island. We provide outreach to local cruising areas and dispense condoms and lube to many other groups, events, schools and individuals on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

 Highlights

• SHINE:  a weekend gathering for gay, bi, trans and queer men to explore community issues of sex and intimacy & health and wellbeing. Contact us for upcoming weekends. Next one will SHINE (+) for Poz men this spring.
• Heart Circles: monthly drop-ins community groups for men who love/lust for men with delicious follow up pot-lucks: Victoria, Courtney/Comox, Saltspring Island. Interested in starting one in your area? Contact robert.birch@avi.org
• Creating Connections (Victoria): every month on the 19^th members from the LGBTQ community come together to swap stories, laugh, educate, inspire and eat desert. At AVI 7-8:30 pm
• Tuesday night coffee (Victoria): crosswords, cappuccinos, Grindr-athons and great ‘gossip’ 6 – 8 pm Serious Coffee, Cook Street Village

Volunteers needed! We’re looking for help in the areas of outreach, Youth Speaks, administration, writers, fundraisers and event producers. If you have a skill you want to share, an idea you want to make happen or want to help activate Victoria’s gay male scene give us a call. We’re recruiting!

AVI gratefully acknowledges the funding provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada under the AIDS Community Action Program.