INVOLVING YOUTH IN TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION
When it comes to talking about preventing teen pregnancy , few voices are as powerful or authentic as those of teens themselves . Any effort to reduce teen pregnancy can benefit from their unique insights . Purposefully involving a diverse group of teens from local organizations , schools , after-school programs , and faith communities helps create stronger , more effective programs and offers invaluable leadership opportunities for participating teens .
Here are some ideas for involving youth in teen pregnancy prevention efforts and examples of how particular programs are benefitting from youth participation .
Take teen involvement seriously .
Respect the teens you involve and hire staff who are eager and willing to work with teens to sustain their engagement .
SEX , ETC ., a newsletter written for and by teens about health and sexuality , was launched in 1994 as a project of the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University ( 908 / 445-7929 ). Since its inception , six different teen editorial boards have written stories that have reached over 1.5 million teens across the country .
Involve teens early in the planning of a program ’ s goals and activities .
Incorporate teen voices into decision-making and take teens ’ opinions seriously .
The Central New York Council on Adolescent Pregnancy ( 315 / 471-0564 ) recruited
GET REAL
ABOUT TEEN PREGNANCY
young people from local youth groups to form a teen committee that was instrumental in developing the goals and agenda for the community ’ s events to commemorate Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month .
Let teens be your ambassadors to understanding youth culture . Use their input when developing messages , designing marketing campaigns , and writing any printed materials targeting teens .
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy ’ s Youth Leadership Team ( YLT ) developed two successful publications : Thinking About the Right-Now , which offers practical advice for teens by teens , and a companion brochure , Talking Back : Ten Things Teens Want Parents to Know About Teen Pregnancy . The two pamphlets have appeared in Teen People magazine ( circ . 8.4 million ) and in Ann Landers ’ syndicated column ( circ . 90 million ), and have been widely distributed to parents , teens , and organizations nationwide . Most recently , the YLT helped create the Campaign ’ s Voices Carry : Teens Speak Out on Sex and Teen Pregnancy , which offers the unvarnished opinions of teens on everything from what “ sex ” really means to why being a teen virgin is “ cool .”
PREGNANT & NEED HELP ?
“ We care & we get involved .”
Source : www . thenationalcampaign . org
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