Mission
Soho Estates has agreed funding for the next couple of years for a once a week all day Testing and Support Service in Soho dedicated to male, female and transgender sex workers of any age group, either street or flat based but living or working in the Westminster area.
Why help is needed
Service users have a range of issues often complicated by their personal circumstances, including homelessness, low educational attainments, lack of employment history, issues with drugs and abusive experiences in childhood. The focus of the project will be harm reduction, health promotion and HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention.
The service offers:
- HIV and STI testing
- Test for Hepatitis A, B and C and offer vaccinations for Hepatitis B
- One to one and group support
Through this service the THT aim to achieve the following outcomes for beneficiaries:
- skills development
- increased awareness and knowledge of health services and support mechanisms available
- enhanced self management skills and techniques
- reduction in stigma and social isolation
- exiting strategies
- education around healthier lifestyles, covering smoking alcohol, drug use
- increased peer support
- safety whilst working - getting service users off the street
- clearer pathways to agencies dealing with substance misuse
- improved sexual health
- increased awareness around HIV and STI transmission
Target
Over the year the service aims to see 500 people