Philosophical Statements: Peer Model
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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES MANUAL
POLICY
PHILOSOPHICAL STATEMENTS: PEER MODEL
As a community-based organization, the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) strives to make its programs and service delivery reflective of, and responsive to, the communities which we serve. We are best able to evolve as an organization through the drawing out of our communities' experiences and needs.
We strive to base our programming and service delivery in the experiences of both people living with HIV/AIDS and those profoundly affected by HIV/AIDS. ACT believes that the success of our mission and goals depends on the degree to which we are an organization rooted in the communities we serve.
It is integral to the realization of our mission and goals to bring in staff and volunteers who share and support ACT's values. To this end, ACT views its programming and service delivery to be based in a peer model.
A "peer" may be identified as such because of common spheres of social or sexual interactions. A peer may be identified as such because of individual characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, HIV status and/or (dis)ability. Peer relationships may exist between ACT and partner agencies. These peer relationships strengthen ACT's ability to serve through a mutual exchange of experiences and resources, including the experiences of people from communities ACT does not serve.
ACT recognizes that the notion of a peer is fluid and contextual, and is based finally in an individual's perception of another individual. Whatever individual, or combination of characteristics, brings about the perception of a peer, ACT recognizes the right of every individual or agency to determine for themselves who is a peer.
