About AIVL

Our work is underpinned by values of:

• respecting the rights, wellbeing, and self-determination of all people, especially people who use drugs with experience of stigma and discrimination
• acknowledging and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ways they see fit and respecting their communities’ traditions, views, ways of life and goals
• championing inclusivity, equity and social justice at all levels
• advancing peer-led and evidence-informed approaches to policies, programs, and services for people who use/have used drugs illicitly
• promoting and protecting the wellbeing, health and human rights of people who use/have used drugs illicitly and people accessing any services and medications
• empowering people who use/have used drugs illicitly to access health services and medication they want and need with complete autonomy and self-determination over our wellbeing and health
• challenging stigma, marginalisation, discrimination, and unjust criminalisation in all their manifestations against people who use/have used drugs illicitly and people with lived-living experience of blood borne virus infection
• supporting the right of people who use/have used drugs illicitly to form our own peer-based organisations, provide peer-led services and programs, and represent our own needs and interests
• ensuring the leadership and meaningful involvement of people who use/have used drugs (MIPWUD) from the onset and throughout at all stages in the development of policies, programs, research, and services that affect our lives
• leading the development of the national peer workforce, peer-led training and of professional development opportunities, peer-based harm reduction education, information-sharing projects, advocacy and policy work, programs and services
• enabling people who use/inject drugs illicitly to protect their wellbeing, health and human rights, including safe and stigma-free access to prevention, testing, treatment, and management of blood borne viruses through adapted education, information, support and services
• maintaining productive links with international partners, national and state organisations, and local communities of people who use drugs illicitly through effective networking and capacity building
• working in genuine partnership and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders and being accountable and responsive to the community we are part of and represent.

AIVL’s key objectives are to:

• advocate for the wellbeing, health and human rights issues for all people who use/have used drugs illicitly
• prevent the transmission of blood borne viruses (BBVs) such as HIV, hepatitis B and C primarily amongst people who inject drugs illicitly through peer-led education and by promoting peer-based harm reduction approaches, programs, and services
• support the provision and development of accessible and holistic peer support, peer-based AOD harm reduction programs and peer-led community information sharing to those with lived-living experience of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, health or AOD services access through leading the national peer workforce development, supporting capacity building in the APAC, and promoting best practice evidence-based and effective models of service delivery and care for our community
• represent the interests of people who use drugs illicitly and people on drug treatment to the general public, governments, the media and relevant sectors and services
• promote the need for radical legal and policy reform in relation to the current approach to addressing illicit drugs in society
• voice the crucial need for peer-led services and programs to reduce stigma, discrimination, and drug related harm among people who use drugs illicitly
• undertake consumer advocacy in relation to drug treatment and medication access issues.