Young Gay Men and HIV   The eleventh World AIDS Day is on Tuesday 1st of December 1998 with the international slogan Force For Change: World AIDS Campaign with Young People. Every minute around the world, five young people between the ages of 10-24 are infected with HIV. In the absence of a vaccine or a cure, education is the only weapon available to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. UN AIDS Estimate, April 1998   Of the thirty million people now living with HIV and AIDS, at least a third are young people aged 10-24. Young people between the ages of 10-24 are central to any discussion of HIV and AIDS. Overall they account for at least 50% of all those who become infected after infancy, and in some countries the figure exceeds 60%. The global population is young, and increasingly so. Between the 1960 and 1990, when the world population grew by 75%, the proportion of young people increased by 99%. Every day 7,000 people between the ages of 10-24 worldwide acquire the virus. This means 2.6 million new infections a year. The prospect for young people is frightening. From the WAD newsletter and catalogue 1998   The prospect for young gay men in particular is frightening. In Sheffield, young gay men are amongst the most vulnerable to HIV infection, out of all the young people in the city. This is because of many reasons, which may include low self-esteem, and a lack of adequate gay sex education in schools. But what can we do? A favourite quote of mine is by Ken Hanes, who said "if you don't think the government is doing enough to fight AIDS, make sure you are". So, I got involved with the Reaching Out Project at the Sheffield Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, where the volunteers go out on the commercial gay scene offering information, advice, support and free condoms and lube. I was told by several people not to get involved, because I was 'naive', 'inexperienced' and because no one would confide in me. I proved them wrong. People do confide in me, in fact there are many young people who will only talk to people of their own age. Older outreach workers may be viewed as the 'bible basher's' of the gay scene. As well as being told not to get involved by older people, some of my peer's viewed my work as an ego trip, rather than being based on any genuine desire to work towards alleviating the HIV epidemic. This is a problem which many young gay men face. They are held back from doing valuable work in two ways, from other young people and from older people. Since young gay men are at risk, is it not obvious that these are the very people we should be recruiting to spread the AIDS awareness messages? When a young gay man becomes involved in HIV work, it's not just others who he helps. He gains knowledge, skills and understanding which will also help to protect him. Two birds are killed with one stone. Perhaps the future of HIV prevention lies in recruiting people from the groups where information, support and resources need to be targeted the most. If you are a young gay man and you want to help stop the spread of HIV, don't be discouraged from getting involved and saying what you really think. If you know any young gay men who are keen on doing HIV prevention work, encourage them, and others, to recognise the skills, passion and idea's which they have. AIDS is an issue that involves everyone. Gareth H.