Hi Raquel,
As someone who used to be a harm reduction peer health educator, I really appreciate your approach to educating youth about HIV/AIDS. I'm wondering if you have found successful programs in other cities that might provide an example for YEAH!. Is there anything particularly helpful that you've learned from your research?
Thanks,
Alexis
Hello Alexis and thank you for contacting me. I also thank you for the work that you've done with youth and for your question.
I have been involved in harm reduction work since the late 80's/early 90's,inspired by the loss of my brother due to AIDS.
I worked for the NYC Department of Health as an AIDS Educator, much of it in schools, and after a few years for the agency that I now run and help found, the Lower East Side Harm ReductioN Center.
I identified immediately with one of the pioneers of Harm Reduction in NY, Edith Springer, who created a program called NYPAEC (NY Peer AIDS Educators Coalition). This coalition of peers worked with street youth to help reduce the spread of HIV among their peers. One of the many things that I came to understand when it comes to working with youth is that they must be included in the design of these programs. This is repeated time and time again in coutries all over the world, whether the topic is HIV or reproductive health, to name a few.
The National and Community Health Services' model describes what I believe is the best model for success:
*Peers must be included in planning
*There must be a match between the development of the program and the youth's age
*In order to develop their skills they must be taught safer behaviors
*That they can learn measurable skills and teach others these skills.
I also believe that once engaged well informed,peers can become the experts in delivering the message, and must be acknowledged as such.
As well, I have experience being an adult mentor, and know first hand that youth can teach adults a lot about how to deliver youth specific messages to their kids.
Comments
Hi Raquel,
As someone who used to be a harm reduction peer health educator, I really appreciate your approach to educating youth about HIV/AIDS. I'm wondering if you have found successful programs in other cities that might provide an example for YEAH!. Is there anything particularly helpful that you've learned from your research?
Thanks,
Alexis
Hello Alexis and thank you for contacting me. I also thank you for the work that you've done with youth and for your question.
I have been involved in harm reduction work since the late 80's/early 90's,inspired by the loss of my brother due to AIDS.
I worked for the NYC Department of Health as an AIDS Educator, much of it in schools, and after a few years for the agency that I now run and help found, the Lower East Side Harm ReductioN Center.
I identified immediately with one of the pioneers of Harm Reduction in NY, Edith Springer, who created a program called NYPAEC (NY Peer AIDS Educators Coalition). This coalition of peers worked with street youth to help reduce the spread of HIV among their peers. One of the many things that I came to understand when it comes to working with youth is that they must be included in the design of these programs. This is repeated time and time again in coutries all over the world, whether the topic is HIV or reproductive health, to name a few.
The National and Community Health Services' model describes what I believe is the best model for success:
*Peers must be included in planning
*There must be a match between the development of the program and the youth's age
*In order to develop their skills they must be taught safer behaviors
*That they can learn measurable skills and teach others these skills.
I also believe that once engaged well informed,peers can become the experts in delivering the message, and must be acknowledged as such.
As well, I have experience being an adult mentor, and know first hand that youth can teach adults a lot about how to deliver youth specific messages to their kids.
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