Youth: Vulnerable But Resilient

From the 2002 volume 21 Network magazine published by Family Health International (FHI), this article profiles students from the Mafori Mphahlele High School, in Soweto, South Africa. Studies indicate that the age of first sexual activity is dropping in many countries while the age of marriage is rising. Thus there are more possible years of sexual activity with multiple partners. According to Nancy Williamson of Family Health International, "there is a lot more consciousness about the needs of adolescents. Policies are changing so that more providers will actually serve unmarried youth and we are beginning to learn more about which types of services are more effective."

Until recently providers were not providing unmarried youth with services at family planning clinics. The World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the FOCUS on Young Adult Project and other groups offer these suggestions for youth programmes:

• Identify the target group; analyse assets and needs
• Involve youth work with the community, including parents
• Build on and link existing interventions
• Use materials designed by and for youth
• Make accessible needed services, as identified by youth

Some evaluation findings from youth focused projects:

• Multipurpose youth centers most often attract boys, older youth, or young adults, and a low proportion of your center attendees come for reproductive health information.
• Scouting projects can successfully reach both in-school and out-of-school youth.
• Hotlines and radio call-in programmes can be efficient ways to reach many youth.
• Combining mass media, school-based, and community-based approaches can be effective.
• Confidentiality.