The mission statement of the AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e. V. (as of 24.04.2015)

1. About us

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e. V. was founded in 1991 as a non-profit and charitable association and entered in the register of associations at the Potsdam district court. It is non-denominational and non-partisan and has its roots in self-help and voluntary work with HIV and AIDS.

We, AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e. V., are also, among other things, the managing body of the "Initiative Brandenburg - Together against Aids" and thus act in a coordinating capacity in the state of Brandenburg for self-help, prevention, health promotion and counselling/support in the field of HIV/Aids and sexually transmitted infections (STI).

2. What goals we pursue

The focus of our work is sexual health, which we consider in its entirety and topicality, about which we provide information and detailed advice.

We want to empower people and enable them to protect themselves and others from infection with HIV, hepatitis and other STI.

We want to support people with HIV and AIDS and enable them to assert and realise their right to self-determination, participation and support in life.

Another important goal of our work is to arouse - and maintain - the attention and interest of all people and institutions for the topics of HIV, AIDS and other STI. By providing up-to-date information, we aim to empower them to act in solidarity with and responsibly towards those affected.

3. How we can achieve those goals

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. is competent and works professionally, connects, networks and coordinates advocacy and professional orientation. Our highly qualified staff provide confidential and reliable counselling and help.

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. sees itself as a protected space for people with HIV/AIDS, their relatives and all those interested in the topic. We offer refuge and retreat, protected communication, anonymity and participation in social life.

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. offers counselling, support and care services that are regularly evaluated and constantly aligned with current developments as well as individual and social needs.

Through the regular HIV/syphilis test offer, everyone can find out whether they are infected. This knowledge is clearly advantageous, because a timely therapy effectively protects the immune system and avoids secondary diseases caused by HIV and syphilis.

Within the framework of structural prevention, we would like to do our part to create social conditions and an atmosphere which enables people to act in a self-determined way when dealing with HIV and AIDS.

We at the AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. develop concepts and work out solution strategies with a focus on education. With lifestyle-accepting and integrated HIV, STI and hepatitis prevention, we want to enable people to assess their risk of infection and to make self-confident and responsible decisions about their actions (primary prevention).

We support measures that serve to promote the health of HIV-positive people (secondary prevention).

We help people who have AIDS to improve their quality of life (tertiary prevention).

4. Who our target groups are

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. is open to all people - regardless of their nationality, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation and identity.

We offer our support, counselling and guidance to people living with HIV and AIDS and their relatives, as well as to all those at particular risk of infection and those interested in the topic, including gay men and men who have sex with men, migrants and prisoners.

We are guided by the conviction that HIV/AIDS can affect anyone.

5. What makes the AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. special in the state of Brandenburg

The AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. is special because of:

• the close cooperation of full-time and voluntary staff, affected and non-affected alike.
• the trusting atmosphere in our interactions with each other, the personal support and the attention to the individual needs of those affected and those seeking advice.
• that we are here and open to all those affected, regardless of their nationality, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation and identity.
• our work as a supra-regional counselling centre: local, regional and national (across cities, states and countries)
• our management of a wide variety of tasks in the face of growing demands as well as reacting to social developments, problems and the associated reorientation to changing tasks
• cooperation and strengthening of networks.

Statutes

The statutes (24 April 2017) of AIDS-Hilfe Potsdam e.V. can be found below: