“I am not alone”: Building a community for young people living with HIV
The final theme, discussed by about half of the youth, was that Project YES! helped them recognize that they are not the only ones living “a positive life.” Many youth felt isolated prior to the project and were “surprised” and “happy” to discover that many others had the same HIV status. A sense of community formed:Project YES! has actually opened my eyes to see we are not alone. I am not alone. It’s made me to see that even if though I have a family at home, there is another family I have at Project YES! that would relate to everything I’m going through.(male, 21 years)Within this community, the youth were “free” to share their experiences and questions with others who understood their situations.They depicted the individual and group meetings, together, as critical to helping them overcome their feelings of isolation. The individual sessions gave the youth an opportunity to open up to their YPM about any personal issues they were facing or ask questions about topics like condom use and sexual behavior, which they felt less comfortable raising in a group setting. These sessions were especially useful for youth who described themselves as being reserved. For example, “If you are a shy person, since you are just the two of you, you can ask about anything” (male, 17 years). They bonded with and were encouraged by their YPM. A 15-year-old male explained, “My peer mentor understands me, like, she knows me. She knows how to talk to me, how to cheer me up… She’s just family to me.” A few youth recommended identifying a dedicated private space for individual meetings with YPMs; some meetings had to take place in larger spaces where other people were coming in and out, given the busy nature of the clinic settings.The group meetings complemented the individual meetings by fostering opportunities for learning and relationship-building with other youth living with HIV. One participant disliked that not everyone in his group chose to speak up during the group sessions. But most participants discussed how the group sessions allowed them to share their feelings, thoughts, questions, and challenges they are facing—i.e., the “things they may not even ask you at home” (female, 17 years). Many appreciated talking with others who could relate to their situations. Beyond the benefits of discussion and learning, several youth built lasting friendships with the others.