The programme - which is being funded by the Manchester Area Partnership Right to Control Trailblazer - will provide 12 participants with a series of 1-1 telephone coaching sessions.

The coaching sessions will enable participants to overcome personally held "limiting beliefs" which research shows people living with HIV regularly experience.

Director of Result CIC, Andy Hilton previously worked as project manager and coach on the highly successful “Positive Futures” programme funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation to support 84 people living with HIV around Britain. Many of the “best practice” techniques from this are being implemented as part of the coaching available to people with HIV in Greater Manchester.

Director Hormoz Ahmadzadeh said:
"The whole idea of this initiative is to promote engagement among those people living with HIV in our society.

Many of these people have the perception that they can't contribute because of their status, but this programme will give them the confidence to overcome these feelings and move forward with their lives in a way that is appropriate to them.

We want them to feel empowered to forge their own independent futures with (a positive mental attitude) at the heart of everything they do.”

In addition to independence, the programme also aims to promote: self-confidence; the ability to socialise; overall wellbeing; confidence in their own future; and career development.