IAS Members’ Strategy Consultation

6 December 2008, Dakar

Developing the IAS’ Strategy for 2010 - 2014

Agenda

Overview: IAS strategy development process

Introduction: Setting the scene for strategy discussions (Dr Elly Katabira)

Key question for discussion: What should the IAS do to strengthen its regional work?

Strategy development process

October/November: Desk review, including members survey completed

2008 as key input to development of strategy (1,200 members participated)

Initial Strategy sessions with Governing Council and Secretariat

Develop project plan for Strategy development process

Dec - Feb: Conduct ICASA consultations - members; regional

partners; key informant interviews Commence draft outline of Strategy (1)

Strategy development process

March - May Develop and distribute targeted survey

e.g. cross section of past Governing Council, members across 5 regions, partner organizations

Conduct consultations: Regional consultations with regional partners

International policy & advocacy consultation

Key informant interviews

Strategy development process

June - July Consultation data analysis Develop Strategy (draft 2) Secretariat and Governing Council input on draft 2 Revise = Strategy (draft 3)

Aug - Dec Strategy (draft 4) by end Sept Strategy considered at Governing Council retreat Nov Publish, distribute, promote Dec 09.

Discussion:

What does the IAS do that is most important to you in your work?

Overview

Setting the scene for strategy discussions

Purpose of Introduction

Provide overview about:What the IAS is and does

The changes have taken place in the IAS in the last five years

Set the scene for your discussions about what you think the IAS is best placed to do over the next five years

Who we are

International, independent association of HIV/AIDS professionals

Made up of individual members like yourselves

Members elect the Governing Council Council oversees the work of the IAS

Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland

Stronger together: Purpose, Vision and Mission

What we do: We connect. By convening the world’s largest meetings

on HIV/AIDS, IAS provides critical platforms for presenting new research, sharing best practice and advancing the fight against AIDS.

We promote. By promoting dialogue, education and networking, IAS helps close gaps in knowledge and expertise at every level of the response.

Stronger together: Purpose, Vision and Mission

We mobilize. By providing support services to our members, we help them to do what they do best, advancing the state of the art and expanding access to HIV prevention, treatment and impact mitigation.

Our vision: A worldwide force of professional working together to prevent, treat, and control HIV/AIDS

What we do

While best known for organizing conferences, our role in the HIV response has expanded over the last five years

2004 IAS moved from Stockholm, Sweden to Geneva, Switzerland

Significant change and growth, 2004 - 2008

What we’ve achieved 2004 - 2008

Expanded membership:has grown from 5,802 in 2004 to 13,000 in 2008, an

increase of 125% in Africa has more than doubled (In 2004 = 1,064

now = 2,301) Expanded IAS Secretariat:

From 5 to 37 permanent staff Increase mainly from hiring in-house conference

professionals instead of outsourcing conference organizing work

What we’ve achieved 2004 - 2008

Now have in-house capacity in program building, logistics, communications, fund raising and IT

We share this knowledge with regional societies organizing regional conferences

Developed our work in new key areas:Policy & advocacyEducational and professional development Regional Partnership

Our regional work

‘Regional work’ cuts across all that we do:Communicating with our global membershipLinking regional conferences with one another,

and with international AIDS conferencesSupporting education, networking and

professional development at international, regional conferences

Working with regional partners

Our regional partnership work

In 2006 established a specific Regional Partnerships Program

2 dedicated staff members To strengthen our relationships with regional AIDS

societies and others involved in organizing regional conferences

Provide support such as organizational capacity building

Example: Support Society for AIDS in Africa to hold election of the Society’s Board by the membership

Our regional partnership work

Provide regional societies and conference planning technical assistance

Example: Support Society for AIDS in Africa in developing conference programme and logistics for this conference here in Dakar

Support for specific activities in the regions to advance evidence based policy and programming

Example: Yalta scientific leadership summit: support network of key health professionals to use the best available evidence to advocate for expanded access to opioid substitution therapy for people who inject drugs.

Our regional partnership work

Our regional partnerships are a valuable source of information about regional issues, challenges and priorities which informs our work

Given our size, resources and global role, we focus on partnering regional organizations, not duplicating them

Support regional organisations to provide effective regional conferences and other networking and professional development opportunities for HIV professionals in regions

The future for our regional work

We want to further develop our support in areas such as:Regional societies and regional conferences Regionally based education, professional

development and networking Involving members in regionally focussed

advocacy efforts

I look forward to hearing your views on how you think the IAS can assist you in your work, and in your region

Envisaging the future

Small group work (20 minutes)

Brainstorm ideas – What should the IAS do to strengthen its regional work?

Agree on two things that you think the IAS should focus on in the next 5 years

Write up on paper provided

Facilitated discussion (15 minutes)