The WA Aboriginal Sexual Health and BBV Strategy 2015–2018 recognises the unacceptably high rates of STIs among Aboriginal people in WA and the importance of service providers and communities working together to improve sexual health outcomes.³

Program activities are always enhanced by collaboration between various organisations that have contact with, or who provide services to, people and communities affected by STIs and BBVs.

As every community differs with regard to what services are available, who accesses them and how they are accessed, an important first step in developing partnerships is to map out the main services and organisations in the community that engage with or provide services to priority populations.

Effective partnerships already exist in many regions; in others, if they do not need to be developed from scratch, they could be reinvigorated or strengthened.

Where partnerships do exist, it is useful to revisit what programs are being delivered to ensure they support the key goals of current sexual health and BBV strategies. 

Services and organisations that already collaborate or could be engaged in partnerships include:    

• Health services (both primary care and hospital-based services and programs):  
  • ACCHS  
  • Sexual health clinics  
  • Sexual Health Quarters (SHQ)  
  • General practices    
  • Antenatal outpatient clinics and outreach services  
  • Mental health services  
  • Headspace  
  • Drug and alcohol services    
  • NSPs  
  • Corrective Services health clinics  
• Community-based organisations:  
  • Youth centres  
  • Sporting clubs  
  • High schools  
  • Education and employment agencies such as TAFE colleges and Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) programs  
  • LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) organisations    
  • Community council offices  
• Networks and organisations that provide representation, education, counselling and advocacy:    
  • Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA)  
  • SHQ  
  • Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA)  
  • Western Australian AIDS Council (WAAC)  
  • Peer Based Harm Reduction WA  
  • HepatitisWA.