Carolinas RESPOND
Hello, and welcome to RESPOND! This page is dedicated to Community Ambassadors. Read about the study, see if you’re eligible, register, and come back for helpful resources.
Interested in becoming a Community Ambassador?
Read more below about how to join our research study that aims to help Community Ambassadors encourage People in their Circle (friends, peers, and loved ones) to access HIV care and prevention services.
Step 1
Are you eligible to become a Community Ambassador? Community Ambassadors are:
- At least 18 years old
- Assigned male sex at birth
- Self-identify as Black/African American or Latine/o/a
- Have had sex with someone assigned male sex at birth
- Able to provide informed consent in English
- Willing to refer people you know to HIV services
- Residence in the greater Charlotte region
- Status-neutral (any HIV status)
Step 2. If you believe you’re eligible, complete the registration form:
Step 2
If you think you’re eligible, complete this registration form to let us know you’re interested:
Step 3
We will review your registration form. If you are eligible, we will reach out to meet! Once you become a Community Ambassador you will:
- Participate for 3-4 hours total over 3-4 weeks
- Attend a coaching session with our study team
- Complete surveys
- Invite people you know (Peers) to attend HIV service appointments
“RESPOND Carolinas is committed to improving HIV care and prevention in North and South Carolina. Our 5-year study focuses on helping gender and sexual minorities by using new strategies and partnerships to build healthier communities.” – Dr. Ann Dennis, Principal Investigator
Learn More
Fascinated by the nitty gritty? Curious to learn more about us? The science? Our wonderful Community Advisory Group? Feel free to browse through!
The goal of the RESPOND study is to increase and monitor engagement in HIV-related services. We are conducting this study in the Charlotte region of North Carolina. The study is testing a process called the enhanced social network strategy (eSNS). In the strategy, study participants called Community Ambassadors invite people in their social circle (Peers) to come in for certain health care services. These services include HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), or HIV treatment.
Resources
Click on the links below to download a copy of our study brochure for Community Ambassadors and look at a map of HIV and sexual health services around the Charlotte area.