Regional Youth Programme

Purpose

To improve the sexual and reproductive health and psychosocial support to young people.

Geographic scope

Regional Youth Programme (RYP) focuses on the sharing, adapting and extending of good practice in HIV prevention and support to young people using community-based, participatory and multi-sectoral approaches in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Background

The three RYP partners, Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM), Young Happy Healthy and Safe (YHHS) in Zambia and Youth for a Child In Christ (YOCIC) in Zimbabwe, were selected based on their ongoing youth prevention programmes which have innovative approaches to HIV prevention for youth, as well as an expressed interest and commitment to sharing their own approaches and learning from partners. The RYP partners learn new approaches from each other, share and adapt methodologies and implement activities in the 15 programme sites in these three countries.

Project strategies

Working through partnerships

Developing a multisectoral response with government and civil society across sectors and faith-based organisations.

Implementing skills-based education on reproductive health and HIV

Trained peer educators and teachers facilitate interactive learning sessions with young people on context-specific sexual and reproductive health issues, life-skills and values.

Youth friendly services

Working with local health services and community health workers to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services to young people.

Training traditional initiation counsellors

RYP works with traditional initiation counsellors to engage in community HIV/AIDS programmes and change harmful traditional practices, which is particularly relevant in Malawi and Zambia.

Improving the utilisation of community theatre as a vehicle for HIV communication and awareness raising

In addition to improving theatre performance and techniques, and ensuring that accurate and relevant information is disseminated, community theatre involves pre- and post-performance assessments and follow up, such as group discussions and referral to services.

Addressing stigma and discrimination at the community level

The RYP partners and selected community members from the 15 sites will receive training through the regional stigma training programme to help address the issues of stigma and discrimination that act as a barrier to services for youth and to the successful implementation of HIV programmes.

Achievements

  • Training in participatory assessment and planning for the three RYP partners.
  • Training community members in 15 sites in participatory assessment and planning.
  • 15 community-led site assessments conducted and activity plans developed.
  • Sexual, Reproductive and Life Skills manual and training development workshop, drawing on the existing practices, curricula and learning materials from FPAM and YHHS.
  • Traditional male and female initiation counsellors from Malawi and Zambia exchanged teachings and identified changes to reduce vulnerability to HIV and sexual and reproductive health problems. Messages, songs and pictures were created to promote these new ideas.
  • Production of audio-visual materials for training of traditional male and female initiation counsellors and for broadcast over local radio for promotion of messages with local communities.
  • Community theatre workshop held to develop a guide for community drama groups and sexual and reproductive health practitioners to enable them to use drama techniques in interactive ways to deepen community understanding of HIV and sexual and reproductive health issues and identify ways to address causes of problems, advocate for change, develop life skills, etc.