Our Mission

The mission of the Vancouver Island Persons Living With HIV/AIDS Society (VPWAS) is to offer compassionate peer support and information to all persons living with HIV/AIDS.

About VANCOUVER ISLAND PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS SOCIETY

The Vancouver Island Persons Living with HIV/AIDS Society (VPWAS), founded in 1991, is the only peer based and operated HIV/AIDS organization on Vancouver Island and offers compassionate, Peer Navigation and support, treatment information and education to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) as well as prevention services to people in Greater Victoria.

We are a for social-profit (non-profit), member based organization made up of HIV+ and HepC co-infected people. A volunteer Board of Directors, all of whom are living with HIV/AIDS, governs our Society. This is to ensure the stability of our grassroots philosophy of "By PLHIV for PLHIV", in keeping with our person-centred support model of service.

In addition to supporting our mission, we also offer life enhancement activities and a number of programs and services to our membership. Many of these programs and services are prepared and operated by HIV+ member volunteers themselves. With staff support we encourage this as we feel it enables self-empowerment for our members and promotes self-improvement through a healthy lifestyle and outlook on the future. All proceeds and donations go to support these programs and services directly.