Training Class of Hotline Counseling Skills for MSM Group wa

 Sponsored by China Global Fund AIDS Program Round 5, Beijing Gender Health Education Institute (GHE) successfully held a Training Class of Hotline Counseling Skills for MSM Group from December 12 to 14, 2008. 

Forty-two representatives from 18 cities of 7 provinces covered by China Global Fund AIDS Program Round 5 participated in the training, including leaders of local CDC and staffs providing hotline services from grass-root communities.  Two officials from China Global Fund AIDS Program Round 5, Liu Jie and Yan Yuqi, were present at the training, too.  The training was facilitated by Guo Yaqi, Chief of GHE and Vice Director of Working Committee of Volunteers, Chinese Association of STD&AIDS Prevention and Control.

During the three-day training, Mr. Tong Ge (Chief Expert of GHE), Ms.Rong Weiyi (professor at Chinese People's Public Security University), Mr.Wang Hao ( Juris of Renmin University of China), Ms. Li Zhihui (a well-known expert on hotline services), and experts from HIV positive homosexual communities together with Ms. Zhao Xiuqin (a famous hotline trainer from Beijing Suicide Research and Prevention Center) , invited by GHE,  gave lectures with diverse themes, such as service orientation of homosexual hotlines, application of social gender in hotline counseling, main content of counseling for HIV positive, principles, techniques and related legal issues of hotline counseling, treatment and assessment of crisis telephone, etc.  Guo Yaqi, Chief of GHE, also gave instructions and analyses on hotline counseling skills for AIDS amongst MSM group and answered questions from attendees.

The training covered almost all the topics involved in hotline counseling of MSM group.  Attendees have not only improved their theoretical knowledge, but also learned useful experience in practical operation.  They said that they have benefited a lot from the training which was rare for hotline staffs in grass-root communities.  The training made them realize that answering a hotline call is not a simple communication and that the goal of a qualified hotline staff should be providing satisfactory answers and useful aids to more consultants through good communication techniques and methods.