PARN executive director Kim Dolan imagines a world without margins, one in which “welcome” is more than a word and much closer to a state of mind and a way of being.
It’s what’s driven the Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN) since its inception in 1990 and what’s launching it into its second quarter-century.
“It would be fantastic to imagine that we are part of a hub of services that are welcoming, that feel light and joyful and celebratory, and include the folks at the outermost margins,” Kim says.
“What I’ve realized is that no matter how we shine the light on the margins, there’s another margin beyond that,” she adds. “And there’s another something — a person, a belief — that falls outside what people are comfortable with.”
Kim insists her world of joy and celebration is possible if we ask one question: is the belief, or behaviour or person on the fringe causing us harm?
“If it’s not harmful, maybe we need to make a little more room,” she says.
More Than a Handshake: Partnerships that Cross Lines
Among the many accomplishments of the past 24 years, Kim shines a light on one: partnerships.
“I think we’ve been exceptional at capacity-building in our community,” she says.
Perhaps the greatest example of a matured community partnership is the Peterborough Drug Strategy. It grew from a simple question that someone at PARN asked: is injection drug use a problem in Peterborough? If it is, it might be something we want to address because we know that people who share needles may also be sharing the virus.
The first year, PARN handed out 5,000 needles; this year, it will hand out 221,000.
Eventually that relationship evolved into the Peterborough Drug Strategy, with the addition of city police at the table. It was that group that has had so much success getting the opiate overdose prevention drug, naloxone, into the hands of the people who most need it.
“It’s because of these partnerships and relationships we have that we’ve been so successful,” Kim says.
PARN has learned much from its 24 years of partnering in Peterborough, through events such as the Taste for Life fundraiser, set for April 23 this year (for details, see the sidebar).
Kim says the trick is to stay focused on action.
“We’ve learned over the years that it’s key to be really focused on what we want to achieve,” she explains.
Conversations Ahead: Brave and Difficult
From that solid foundation, PARN launches into its future, ready for candid conversations both with its partners and within the organization.
To ensure those conversations are backed with reliable data, PARN hired a consultant who has delivered some recommendations. Those are part of the future-shaping for the coming quarter-century.
Kim says the horizon is full of hope. When AIDS emerged in the early 1980s, it was seen through a lens of homophobia and racism.
“This isn’t about identity anymore,” Kim explains. “This is about behaviour. Can we start talking about sex in a way that isn’t talking about fear and danger? Let’s talk about the things that are harmful, and if it’s not harmful to you or me or anyone else, maybe we can let it go.”
A community-based agency, PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network provides support for people who are infected or affected by HIV. PARN also provides education for people at risk for HIV and promotes awareness of AIDS issues to the broader community. PARN is located in Suite 302 at 159 King Street in Peterborough and is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Wednesday afternoons from 1:30 to 3 p.m.). You can contact the agency at 705-749-9110 (toll free at 1-800-361-2895) or by emailing getinformed@parn.ca. Visit PARN’s website at www.parn.ca.
