Aberdeen Services

HIV doesn't discriminate. And we all have sexual health. That’s why our services are as diverse as the people we support.

In Aberdeen, we provide dedicated support services to people from African communities. If you need help with HIV or sexual health in Aberdeen, we’re here to support you in whatever ways you need.

Our services are flexible to your needs and we can meet you in a place that is comfortable for you. We offer a safe, welcoming environment where you can talk openly without judgement or stigma.

We offer a range of one to one support services across Aberdeen including:

• helping you cope with a new diagnosis, think positively about the future and understand treatment
• helping you to improve your mental health and wellbeing and empowering you to cope with life’s ups and downs in a safe, supportive environment 
• helping you to look after your physical health and wellbeing, manage HIV treatment and access local complementary therapies
• helping you to set goals, learn new skills, and access training, employment and education
• supporting you with everyday activities such as getting to appointments, managing daily tasks and adhering to HIV treatment
• how to talk to your family, friends and others about HIV and sexual health
• Linking you up with other services that can help you live well with HIV, such as housing, money management, immigration and asylum services

If you want to find out how we can support you or, to speak with a member of our team, get in touch. 

Telling other people that you have HIV can be a scary time for anyone. 

There’s a lot to think about, from figuring out who to tell, to thinking about how and when to tell them.

We’re here to support you every step of the way, using our 30 years experience to give you the advice and support you need throughout your journey. 

As part of this, our team in Aberdeen can also support your family, friends and others to better understand HIV and sexual health.

If you would like to find out how we can support you, your family, friends or others, get in touch with us for more information.

We offer HIV and sexual health advice to people from African communities in Aberdeen, and can also provide advice on lots of topics related to these issues.  

Our team can support you with:

• how to cope with a new diagnosis, think positively about the future and understand treatment
• how to talk to family, friends and others about HIV, and sexual health
• how HIV and sexual health can impact on your mental health and wellbeing and, how to cope with life's ups and downs 
• how to take care of your physical health and wellbeing when living with HIV 
• understanding, managing and adhering to HIV and treatment 
• how to set goals and get involved in training, employment and education
• where to get additional support for issues related to HIV and sexual health, such as housing, money management, addiction support, immigration and asylum services

For more information or, to speak with a member of our team, get in touch. 

We offer HIV rapid testing to people from African communities in Aberdeen, as well as hepatitis C and hepatitis B dried blood spot testing. 

Getting tested is quick and painless, and is available for free. If you’ve got any worries or concerns you can read our guides to HIV testing here and hepatitis C testing here. 

If you're thinking about getting an HIV test, you can speak with a member of our team to find out what options you have available. Get in touch. 

We offer a range of tailored training and awareness sessions for community groups and professionals across Aberdeen.

All of our training is free and we are happy to deliver sessions in the community.

Training and awareness session topics include:

• Blood Borne Virus Awareness
• Sexual Health Awareness
• GP and Medical Practitioner training
• Working with Churches and Faith Leaders

If you're interested in arranging a training or awareness session, you can get in touch with us for more information.

Living with HIV can affect just about every aspect of your life. Sometimes it’s good to talk to someone who can relate.

At Waverley Care, we can put you in touch with one of our peer mentors – trained volunteers who have lived experience of HIV, who can help you work through some of the challenges you may be facing in your day-to-day life.

If you need support with HIV, peer support can help you in a variety of ways including:

• Thinking positively about the future
• Disclosing your HIV status to family, friends and others
• Increasing your confidence and self-esteem
• Feeling less isolated
• Living well with HIV and managing treatment 

In Aberdeen, we offer the following kinds of peer support:

• HIV peer support over the phone
• HIV one-to-one peer support

If you would like to access peer support or, become a Peer Mentor, get in touch with us for advice.

Do you have some spare time to help us smash stigma? Why not get involved in volunteering.

Every day, our amazing volunteers support our work in all sorts of ways, helping make a huge difference to people across Scotland affected by HIV and hepatitis C, and promoting good sexual health.

As if that wasn’t enough of a reason to get involved, volunteering also gives you the chance to gain new skills, get work experience and meet new people.

You can find out more about volunteering with us, including information about how to apply, here. 

In Aberdeen, we offer a range of opportunities for you to get involved in volunteering, including:

• Group Support - Group support volunteers spend a few hours each week being involved in one of our support groups. This involves being part of the group, chatting to people, making sure the space is safe and confidential and getting involved with the planning and delivering of the group activities and events. This role requires a long-term commitment.
• Peer Support and Peer Mentoring - Peer Mentors are individuals who are living with HIV or hepatitis C, or who have cleared hepatitis C, who are able to use their experience to support others. Support is provided face-to-face or over the phone. Specific training is provided for this role.  
• Complementary Therapists - We have volunteers who offer complementary therapies on a weekly basis. Many of our service users benefit from the opportunity to relax and improve their wellbeing. Applications from therapists are welcome.
• Fundraising - Our work is only possible thanks to the generosity of supporters across Scotland. We have lots of opportunities for volunteers to get involved in fundraising, from bucket collections and sponsorship to helping out at events and administrative tasks. If you’re interested in volunteering in fundraising, find out more here or get in touch with the team on 0131 556 9710.

Waverley Care Aberdeen

113 Oxgangs Road North
Edinburgh
EH14 1EB

T: 0131 558 1425