Meet the talkative founder, educator and creative inspiration behind Y.E.A.H. VIC

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

After growing up in a family affected by HIV Alischa Ross has invested the past seven years into finding innovative and appropriate ways to challenge the current  image of AIDS with the sole intention: to bring AIDS back into the public arena in Australia without fear, myth, stigma or discrimination.

Her initial inspiration was derived from the personal experience and incredible loss she witnessed in her own family; the loss of her Mother, baby Sister and recently her Step Father to AIDS related illnesses.

Alischa has worked in a variety of areas of AIDS education & advocacy, taking her to Africa, USA, Spain, Japan & Thailand. Her travel is largely due to her determination to see the meaningful involvement of young people at all international and regional AIDS conferences. This drive lead her to being part of the first team that coordinated a youth forum for the Asia Pacific regional HIV conference (6th ICAAP) and she has gained a place on every regional and international conference Youth Advisory Committee since.

Her international work was the inspiration that lead to the establishment Y.E.A.H. (Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS), Australia’s first independent not-for-profit health promotion organisation solely focused on promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and education to the young people of Australia. One of the prime goals of Y.E.A.H. is to provide the opportunity for young people to have the option to make choices through the provision of information; working towards the eradication of HIV infections amongst young Australians, the break down of stigma and discrimination and connecting young people to the realities of the enormous Global impacts of HIV & AIDS that they are a part of.

Alischa believes the development of Y.E.A.H. is timely as Australians have not been exposed to a National AIDS awareness campaign since 1987. After founding Y.E.A.H. in 2005 Alischa was recognized for this initiative and was awarded as a State Finalist for Young Australia of the Year for 2006.

Alischa’s work thought the organisation focuses in two prime areas; HIV/AIDS education through the development of educational resources for schools and though large scale public events, showcasing her talents as a professional writer and event coordinator. Y.E.A.H. has allowed Alischa to utilize her talents and strengths in promoting a positive public health message about HIV/AIDS. Her creative background and passion for positive communication is the key to Y.E.A.H.’s successful integration of HIV /AIDS awareness across Australian schools.

A strong communicator with a passion for the diversity of people, it is Alischa’s ability to communicate that remains her strongest quality; whether she is talking to school kids or at a press conference she communicates comfortably, framing the issues and connecting with her audience.

HEALTH RELATED EXPERIENCE:

• Currently studying Masters in Public Health

• Deferred from BA Medical Science
  
• Founder and Director of Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS (Y.E.A.H.)
  
• Public Speaking - AIDS awareness (International and local Schools, Youth Camps, Media, Corporate sector).

• Australian HIV/AIDS Educational resource production and distribution

2007

          Appointed Australian National Focal Point of 'GYCA'

          (Global Youth Coalition on AIDS)

          Appointed Global Advisory Council member of 'TeenAIDS'

          Presenter at The Lowy Institute for International Policy 'Young Voices' conference

          on International Leadership; Individual Leadership and Inspirations Leadership

          session

          Sydney, Australia

          Conference delegate, Psychosocial perspectives of HIV - Emerging Themes

          Melbourne, Australia

          Completed Leadership Victoria's Board Orientation Series course

          Melbourne, Australia

2006

          Victorian State Finalist – Young Australian of the Year 2006

          'Leadership in Action' course participant (scholarship recipient)

           Melbourne Business School, Mt Eliza Centre for Executive Education

• HIV/AIDS and sexual health workshop presenter at Oxfam’s CHANGE national training
  conference Toronto, Canada.

• Facilitator at The Lowe Institute for International Policy ‘Young Voices’ conference
  Technology Gap session
  Sydney, Australia

• Scholarship recipient at ‘Australia’s Future Summit reinventing Australia in the age of Asia
  Queensland, Australia

• Youth Advisory Committee member to the local host secretariat AIDS 2006
  XVI International AIDS Conference
  Toronto, Canada

• Co-Chair of main conference youth program XVI International AIDS Conference
  Toronto, Canada

• Media Spokes person for Youth Program XVI International AIDS Conference
  Toronto, Canada

• Young Australian representative at the launch of The Asia Pacific Business coalition on HIV/AIDS & MOU agreement between AusAID and the Clinton Foundation
  Sydney, Australia

• Key note speaker at The United Nations Youth Association Sate Conference
  Victoria, Australia

• Fresh Steering Committee
  Support Group for HIV+ve people under 30
  Melbourne, Australia

2005

• Counsellor accreditation course in pre and post HIV and Hepatitis testing Government Accredited Course - Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
  
  
• Coordinator of the Australian distribution of global AIDS Documentary 'A Closer Walk' and study guide
  
  
• Coordinator 2nd annual 'The World We Live In' World AIDS Day art exhibition Melbourne Museum
  
  
• Member of Melbourne Junior Chamber of Commerce
  
  
• Working group member of Profession Association of Youth Workers
  Youth Affairs council of Victoria
  
  
• Fresh Steering Committee
  Support Group for HIV+ve people under 30
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  

2004

• Project Coordinator
  YEAH's World AIDS Day 2004 awareness campaign
  
  1) The World We Live In Art Exhibition
  24 November - 5 December
  Melbourne Museum
  
  2) Getting It Out There - Gala Auction Evening
  1 December - World AIDS Day
  Melbourne Museum
  
  3) A Closer Walk - Australian Premiere Screening
  28 November, 1 December, 5 December
  Kino Dendy Cinemas
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  
• Youth Forum Coordinator
  18th World Conference on Health Promotion and Health Education
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  
• Youth Working Group
  XV International AIDS Conference
  Bangkok, Thailand
  
  
• YEAH's Web site development and public launch
  www.yeah.org.au
  15 September
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  
• Fresh Steering Committee
  Support Group for HIV+ve people under 30
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  

2003

• Media Campaign/Spokesperson
  7th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific Youth Forum
  'AIDS Awareness Campaign' (Sponsored by The Body Shop Japan)
  Tokyo/Kyoto, Japan
  
  
• Moderator
  7th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific Youth Forum
  'Pre -CAAP'
  Kobe, Japan
  
  
• Fresh Steering Committee
  Support Group for HIV+ve people under 30
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  

2002

• Guest Speaker
  Lord Somers Camp and Power House - Lady Somers Camp
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  

• Presenting Author
  'Building on Momentum - Youth Coordinated Activities'
  XIV International AIDS Conference
  Barcelona, Spain

• Presenting Author and Panelist
  Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE)
  'Social Justice in Asia Pacific - Refugees, HIV/AIDS, & Indigenous Peoples'
  Sydney, Australia
  
  

2001

• Delegate
  National Institute of Health Global Health Conference
  'Stigma and Global Health, Developing a research agenda'
  Washing DC, USA
  
  
• Youth Forum Coordinator
  Sixth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP)
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  
• Youth Forum Declaration Co-author
  Sixth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP)
  Melbourne, Australia
  
  
• World AIDS Day AIDS Awareness Project
  'Positive Awareness & Story'
  Sacred Heart Mission
  Melbourne , Australia
  
  

2000

• Delegate
  XIII International AIDS Conference
  Durban, South Africa, 2000 (Youngest Australian delegate)
  
  
• World AIDS Day Guest Speaker
  Positive Women 'Hope Rose launch'
  Melbourne, 2000
  
  

1999

• Red Ribbon Committee - Publicity/Promotions
  Victorian AIDS Council (V.A.C.)
  Melbourne, 1999
  
  
• World AIDS Day Guest Speaker
  Glaxo Wellcome
  Melbourne, Australia 1999
  
  
• Rose Project Volunteer
  Positive Women Victoria
  Melbourne 1999
  
  
• World AIDS Day AIDS Awareness Project
  'Positive Awareness & Story'
  Sacred Heart Mission
  Melbourne 1999
  

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