The Friend to Friend Project began in Kentucky in the late summer of 1995. This is a collaboration project state-wide with various AIDS Prevention Organizations participating. Our project has it's roots in earlier programs one of which was done in Mississippi in 1991. The second, called the Health Project, was conducted in 16 small cities across the US in 1992.
Currently in Kentucky, the Friend to Friend Project is taking place in Paducah, Louisville, Lexington and Ashland. Each city is now conducting different activities with their specific group for that city but the goals are the same for each region, to reduce the number of new HIV transmissions by talking about and promoting safer sex. Friend to Friend has already conducted four training waves and trained over 30 Peer Leaders from Tryangles.
From
1999 - 2004, The University of Kentucky Institute for HIV Prevention
worked with GLBT youth groups in Louisville, Lexington, Indianapolis,
Cincinnati and Columbus to conduct an HIV Prevention study. The
Friend to Friend Youth Project utilized a modified Friend to Friend model
to train approximately 50 Peer Leaders.
In March 2004, we received funding from the Kentucky Department of Public
Health for The Friend to Friend Internet Project. The goal of the
Friend to Friend Internet Project is to utilize the Internet to bring
awareness and information about HIV and other STD's to those in our
community. The project has helped several related community organizations
develop a website and helped others enhance their presence on the world
wide web. In December 2005, Friend to Friend Internet Project launched the
completely revamped friendtofriend.org website. With this valuable
resource in hand, we'll begin to recruit and train volunteer Peer Leaders
from local M4M chatrooms. Peer Leaders will then share their
knowledge about STD's and offer resources/referrals to their peers through
websites, chat rooms, email and by instant messaging.