April 29, 2010

Dear Advocates,

This update provides information--including upcoming application deadlines--on two special events in advance of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS2010) in Vienna in July: a pre-conference workshop on community engagement specifically for early career HIV prevention researchers (July 17), and the YouthForce Pre-Conference (July 14-17).

OCTAVE Workshop for Early Career Investigators on Good Participatory Practices, July 17
The OCTAVE Project (Online Collaborative Training for AIDS Vaccine Evaluation) and the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, in collaboration with AVAC and UNAIDS, are organizing an interactive workshop for Young and Early Career Investigators.

This workshop is designed for early career investigators in HIV prevention research and will focus on how researchers can engage community stakeholders while planning and conducting HIV biomedical prevention research. The Good Participatory Practice Guidelines created by UNAIDS and AVAC will serve as the framework for lively discussion and case-based learning. (For more on GPP visit www.avac.org/gpp.)

This workshop will incorporate eLearning and an interactive, face-to-face session including short presentations, case-based learning, and small group work. A customized web-portal will allow registered participants to access learning resources in advance of the workshop.

Call for applications:

• Early career investigators working in clinical trials who have an interest in Good Participatory Practices are encouraged to apply.
• Registration to AIDS 2010, as well as travel and hotel accommodation will be provided upon acceptance to the workshop.
• Applications must be submitted by Monday, May 10. Visit AVAC's OCTAVE Workshop page for more information and details on how to apply.

Vienna YouthForce Pre-Conference, July 14-17
As part of AIDS 2010, the Vienna YouthForce and the Youth Programme are organizing a pre-conference open to young people between the ages of 16 and 29 attending AIDS 2010. It will consist of informative sessions and skills-building workshops on HIV and AIDS issues ranging from science to effective political advocacy. Click here to learn more about the Vienna YouthForce and Youth Programme activities.

Important dates for the YouthForce Pre-Conference:

• The deadline for proposals for presentations or workshops at the Vienna YouthForce Pre-Conference has been extended. Proposals are now due Friday, May 7.
• Participant application deadline is Thursday, May 20.

Additional details about AIDS 2010, which will be held July 18-23, are available on the IAC website and AVAC's IAC conference page. This page will provide information on HIV prevention research sessions, including an HIV prevention research conference roadmap (available once the conference programme is posted) and details on AVAC's plans for the conference.

As always, if you have any questions please contact us at avac@avac.org.

Best,
AVAC