Yorkshire MESMAC is one of the oldest and largest
sexual health organisations in the country working predominately
with Gay men Bisexual men and men who have sex with men. We work
across North and West Yorkshire, with offices in Leeds, Bradford,
Wakefield, and York.
Yorkshire MESMAC is part of a group of services that include The BLAST! Project that works with men and boys involved in/abused through prostitution, Leeds LGB Switchboard a listening and sign-posting service, and the OUR Project, a social support agency for people living with HIV, their families, friends and carers together with a number of LGBT youth groups from across the Yorkshire region.
Yorkshire MESMAC is a non-statutory organisation that is funded through a range of sources including service level agreements with Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities as well as community fundraising and individual donations. We are a Registered Charity No 1040407 and a Limited Company No 2958336.
We hope you enjoy your stay with us and find our site informative and enjoyable. All of MESMAC's activities around the North can be found within these pages, as well as detailed archives of statistics, resources and surveys for the professional health worker.
Yorkshire MESMAC is an independent group of community based sexual health and social wellbeing services that are committed to developing and delivering services that are responsive to the needs of our communities.
At Yorkshire MESMAC we are proud of our historical focus on work with Gay, Bisexual men, men who have sex with men and wider Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Questioning adult and youth communities; and we are committed to continuing this work.
Yorkshire MESMAC has developed from skills and experience gained working with LGB communities. We are currently made up of community based services that work predominately with those communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, STIs and young men who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
Whilst each service within the Yorkshire MESMAC Group, has a different focus they all operate within a common strategic management, support and planning framework. More importantly all services with Yorkshire MESMAC Group of services share the same core aims, values and goals.
Yorkshire MESMAC Group of services core aims are to:
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Work with communities and individuals to build an HIV and STI aware population that has the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to make choices about our lives free from exploitation coercion and duress.
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Eliminate stigma and prejudice faced by people living with HIV and STIs.
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Eliminate Homophobia and Heterosexism in all our communities.
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Alleviate the emotional distress of people affected by Homophobia and prejudice around HIV.
We believe that:
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No person’s sexual behaviour should be a problem to them if it is not abusive or exploitative; and if their sexual behaviour is not a problem to their sexual partner/s.
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All people, regardless of their sexuality, sexual identity or HIV status, are entitled to the same rights and respect as all other people.
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All people, regardless of their HIV status, are entitled to a satisfying sex life, free from fear of blame or prosecution.
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We all have the potential to be experts in our own lives, though we recognise that many external factors work against us making real informed choices. Our role is to facilitate the realisation of this expertise through a range of professional and self-help services.
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All people have the right to self define and organise in a way that reflects their true concerns and life experiences.
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There are no hard to reach communities just hard to access services.
We will:
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Work with service users, service providers and funders to develop; safe, responsive, accessible, inclusive, timely and appropriate services.
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Where appropriate and possible, directly provide such services.
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Develop mechanisms and forums which ensure that service users and other community members are central to and participate in the planning and delivery of services.
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Work in partnership with other groups, individuals and organisations, to benefit our target communities.
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Ensure that all workers in the organisation, both paid and unpaid are supported and valued and have access to personal and professional development.
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