All About Preventing HIV & Celebrating Diversity

Here we are, talking about safe sex again. Hi, hello!

It’s no surprise that this e-newsletter is packed with resources for inclusive and empowering conversations about Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) and Blood Borne Virus (BBV) prevention including HIV prevention (read our blog post), consent (follow our socials) and bodies (check out What We’re Reading).

Speaking of resources, scroll down and check out our free resource shop for condoms, lube, posters and more!

And while you’re here, get your free ticket (if you haven’t already) to hear how Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes talk about sex, bodies and consent with confidence and care in our upcoming live online episode recording On The Couch: Talking About Sex, Bodies & Consent.

If you missed our first two On The Couch episodes or want to listen again. We’ve got you! They are now released so you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Peace, Love & Protection

We are stronger as a community when we embrace and celebrate our own diversity

Apply for a grant of up to $1,000 to host an event that celebrates LGBTQ+ Days of Significance or centre LGBTQ+ communities in Cultural Days, to increase awareness and visibility of diversity in priority settings across NSW.

ACON are keen to see a diverse range of activities to celebrate the breadth of brilliance in our communities.

Applications close 11:59pm Sunday 24th May 2026. Contact Madhuraa Prakash if you have any questions.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DIVERSITY DAY GRANTS 2026/27

NSW Aboriginal Blood-borne Virus (BBV) and Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI) Framework

The newly released Framework provides strategic guidance to enhance efforts, inform initiatives and improve outcomes for Aboriginal people affected by or at risk of BBVs and STIs and support the achievement of health equity.

The Framework outlines priorities while committing to ways of working with and for Aboriginal people including:

Culture at the centre
Self determination
Cultural safety
Truth telling and healing
Equity
Everyone’s business

READ THE NSW ABORIGINAL BBV AND STI FRAMEWORK

Free HIV Prevention Medication for Medicare Ineligible Patients Now Available

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) can lower the risk of HIV infection from sexual activity by 99% when taken as prescribed. New arrivals, international students, and migrants living and working in NSW are now eligible to receive PrEP for free!

Access free PrEP at most public sexual health clinics, or through a telehealth service. Visit Sexual Health Service in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven or find your nearest clinic on the Health Direct locator. Call TIS National on 131 450 for the interpreter service.

FIND OUT MORE ON SEXUAL HEALTH INFO LINK

Upcoming On The Couch episode: Talking About Sex, Bodies & Consent

Join Winnie and Maddy online as they host Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes as they unpack the “Welcome To” book series development and the community’s response.

Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes co-authored award-winning books for adolescents including Welcome to Your Period, Welcome to Consent, Welcome to Your Boobs and Welcome to Sex.

Listen how they approach conversations about sex, bodies and consent with confidence and care.

Be part of the live online audience 11am (AEST) on Thursday 28th May. Even if you aren’t able to attend live, get your free ticket to receive the episode release direct to your inbox.

GET YOUR FREE TICKET

On The Website

Blog

Everything you need to know about HIV prevention methods in one blog post. Including links to translated resources! Get protected and stay safe.

READ BLOG POST

On THE COUCH EPISODE RELEASE

Hear Mai share her personal stories of navigating her transness and cultural identities in her relationship with self, community, family and romantic partner.

WATCH AND/OR LISTEN

What We’re Reading: Welcome To book series

Four age-appropriate books written by experts and including case-studies and questions from real teens.

Welcome To Your Period: A frank and funny guide for pre-teens with honest advice about periods.

Welcome To Consent: A clear guide for curious 11 - 14 year-olds, parents, teachers and youth workers for all the info you need to start the conversation.

Welcome To Your Boobs: Packed with honest advice on all the things pre-teens need to know about boobs.

Welcome To Sex: An inclusive book all about keeping sex fun, real and shame-free.

On The Free Resource Shop

For organisations and services in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region

Lube

Water-based lubricant, 5ml single sachets. Maximum order of 15 sachets. Need more than that? Let us know how many in the note section.

ORDER LUBE

Internal Condoms

Single use Female Condom. Find out more about the FC2 here. Maximum order of 15 Female Condoms. Need more than that? Let us know how many in the note section.

ORDER INTERNAL CONDOMS

Oral Dam

Thin barrier latex sheet used to prevent the spread of STIs during oral sex. Randomly selected flavours. Maximum order of 15 Oral Dams. Need more than that? Let us know how many in the note section.

ORDER ORAL DAMS

Caddyshack Cards

Caddyshack Project Business Card (A7 size) in a selection of our five brand colours - Mystic (Pink), Marine (Blue), Desert (Mustard), Light & Dark. Maximum order of 25. Need more than that, or want to pick your cards? Let us know in the note section.

ORDER FREE CARDS

Free External Condoms

The Condom Protocol

Making condoms available to young people at your service is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to protect their health.

Play Safe Pro have developed a complete how-to guide for making condoms part of your service, legally, safely and confidently.

Download The Condom Protocol here

FREE CONDOMS DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN NSW

FREE CONDOM DISPENSERS IN THE ILLAWARRA SHOALHAVEN

FREE CONDOMS FOR SERVICES & ORGANISATIONS IN NSW

We Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we meet, live and work. We recognise their powerful connection to the land, waterways and sea, and to community.

We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present, and emerging, to families, communities and Survivors, and to those that never made it home. As we share in our knowledge, teachings and our learnings, may we also pay respect to the knowledge embedded forever within the Aboriginal Custodianship of Country.