Team PATA

PATA Local Forums

What is a local forum?

The local forum is a means to cascade knowledge and learning from the annual PATA forum to the community level. Treatment teams attending a PATA Summit or regional forum will be mentored on how to run a local PATA forum. Teams keen to run a local PATA forum (as one of their annual tasks) will be encouraged to submit an application to PATA to access funding and mentorship.

Local PATA forums will closely follow the format of annual PATA forums (i.e. plenary presentations, intra-disciplinary workshops and inter-disciplinary workshops). The local PATA forum is characterised by the following:

• The local host attended a PATA forum and is inspired by the topics or PATA model
• Topics addressed at local PATA forums are selected by the local host team to address an identified need in their area
• The local forum is multi-disciplinary and is likely to be cross-sectoral; the engagement of other community-based organisations and NGOs is encouraged
• A typical local forum involves 4 treatment teams of 5 people (approximately 20 participants) from the surrounding community/ area, and three guest speakers/ facilitators
• Expert patients and/ or Community Health Care Workers are included as team participants
• Local forums are held within the community of the local treatment team, typically within a local church, school hall or at the clinic itself
• Local forums are of shorter duration (2 days) than regional PATA forums (4 days)
• A dissemination of information plan is created to ensure that information reaches other clinics, government bodies and officials
• Teams set goals aimed at improving the quality of care they provide to HIV infected and affected children and their families

Local Forums 2011-12

Four local forums were held in 2011. Planning for the local forum is hard work and demands commitment from treatment teams.

Following the 2011 PATA Summit, 10 local forums are planned. The location of these local forums will depend on which treatment teams select this as a task. For more information on the responsibility of a local forum host team see: hosting a local forum (PDF)

For more information on local forums please email Taru at taru@teampata.org with the subject line 'A PATA Local Forum'.