About Chiva
Chiva’s mission is to ensure children, young people and young adults living with HIV in the UK and Ireland become healthier, happier, and more in control of their own futures. We want them to have the treatment and care, knowledge and understanding, skills and wider support needed to live well and achieve their greatest potential.
We’ve been working with young people growing up with HIV, their families, and the health professionals who care for them for over 20 years.
There are just under 2,500 children and young adults growing up with HIV in the UK.
Over 90% of them acquired HIV perinatally and around 70% of them are now young adults. Thanks to robust antenatal HIV screening and effective clinical management of those diagnosed with HIV in pregnancy in the UK, there are now extremely low rates of vertical transmission of HIV to infants in the UK.
Effective treatment for HIV was introduced in 1997 and children growing up with HIV who are on effective treatment can expect to live long and healthy lives.
Young People
Our staff provide direct support in HIV clinics around the country and organise local meet-ups so young people can spend time with others who live with HIV. We also hold an annual summer camp for 11-17 year-olds, and run other participatory projects supporting those aged up to 25, including the Blueprint and Art Is Key.
Families
We provide support directly to families of those who have grown up with HIV, including an annual residential. At the last one, we brought 22 families together.
Professionals
We provide a network for health professionals who work with young people living with HIV. This includes a yearly conference, quarterly education meetings, and a professional membership, with benefits including a newsletter. We also help develop peer-reviewed guidelines, standards of care, and clinical resources.
Our Values
- Acting with compassion
- Taking a holistic approach; seeing a whole person, not just HIV
- Being open and inclusive
- Developing trust and working with integrity
- Empowering people through a rights-led approach
We try to live these values through all of our work.
Our Objectives
- Enhance health and psychosocial wellbeing
- Reduce isolation
- Ensure young people’s voices inform policy, service and practice development
- Reduce HIV stigma
- Increase knowledge and understanding of HIV
We aim to achieve our objectives through a range of activities which educate, inspire and help young people feel they belong. (Tap the image below to open as a PDF.)
Our Funders
Chiva is solely funded through donations, charitable grants, and conference and membership income. With special thanks to the organisations who supported our work in 2023:
Drue Heinz Charitable Trust, ViiV Healthcare, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Raise Your Hands, Hollyhock Foundation, Gilead Sciences.
Read our latest impact report here: Chiva | Impact
Latest news
- Chiva’s Freedom 2 Be Camp reaches 15 years milestone
- Reflections from the Second Chiva Families’ Weekend
- Concerns around the government’s proposed changes to the RSHE guidance for schools
- Incidence of non-AIDS defining comorbidities among young adults with perinatally-acquired HIV in North America, 2000-2019
- Reflecting on BHIVA 2024: Promoting Peer Support and Acknowledging Excellence
Work with us
There are currently no staff vacancies.
