Establishment of safe space youth clubs (SSYCS) -MAP

1. Establishment of safe space youth clubs (SSYCS) -MAP By Halima Ben Umar, Chris Ogedengbe and Dr. Andrew S Karlyn

2. Implementing – Married Adolescent project (MAP)

3. Current Partners • Islamic Education Trust – IET • Adolescent Health and Information Project – AHIP • Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria – FOMWAN

4. Partners Are involved in • MAP • Revision of Management information System (MIS) tools – data collection • Development of the radio component of BCC • Establishment of the safe space youth clubs (SSYCs)

5. Partners cont. Categories of Staff • Project Coordinators – PCs 3 • Focal Officers – FOs 8 • Community Advocates – CAs : 15 per state. The CAs pioneered the establishment of the SSYCs in each state

6. NOW - Concept of Safe Space Youth Clubs (SSYCs)

7. Introduction • Objectives • Concept of Safe Space Youth Clubs (SSYCs) • Criteria for selection of members of the clubs • Selection of safe spaces • Outreach activities of the clubs • Contents of discussions in clubs’ meetings • Benefits to members • Contributions of members of the communities • Sustainability of the clubs and the expectation at the end of the module

8. Objectives of SSYCs • Create safe spaces for young girls to meet and interact • Promote healthy behavior: - going to school - going to health clinics • Promote - self reliance, - hearing more on prevention of HIV/AIDS - self esteem through skills acquisition and - income gaining

9. Obj cont. • Expand the benefits of the clubs to new members • Raise the skills of individual members to form and lead new clubs • Raise the community awareness campaigns through: - small group discussions, - interpersonal communications and - community dialogues

10. Concept of SSYCs • SSYCs is based on peer education model consisting of a series of modules led by trained peer mentors - At this initial stage the clubs will be led by community advocates • and reinforced by social peers of lay religious leaders who advocate using religion to support delay marriage.

11. SSYCs • Reducing vulnerability in adolescent girls through social support, life skills training, savings mobilization, income generation, and conditional cash transfers. • Community awareness campaigns through small group discussions; interpersonal communications; and community dialogues.

12. Concept Cont. • Curricula and non-curricula based approaches to incorporate secular topics of HIV and AIDS prevention, reproductive health, hygiene, and life-skills in Islamiya school curricula and after-school activities. • Mass media activities using radio spots/jingles and phone-in radio discussion slots to stimulate public dialogue and debate on early marriage, vulnerability of young girls through AB intervention

13. Formation of SSYCs • Identification of the first 2 Community Advocates • Identification/Selection of group members. - Selection criteria. • Choose Safe Space in the community • Advocacy to Community leaders/Stake holders and Parents • Informed consent (from parents). • Advocacy to Islamiya Schools. • Activity plans.

14. Criteria for selection of members The main considerations are factors that would promote peer association among members. These factors include: • Age: 15 -24 years • In-school and out-of-school adolescents; out-of-school adolescents will be encouraged to be in school thus delaying marriage • Single, married and divorced girls are members of the clubs

15. Selection of safe spaces A safe space is a venue that the society would regard as appropriate for the meeting of the youth clubs. An appropriate venue varies from one community to the other. The most appropriate spaces identified by CAs are: • A religious leaders house • Community leader’s house • Other venues considered to be safe by the community

16. Outreach activities of the clubs Mentors (CAs) of the clubs organized the following community awareness campaigns: • Dramas • Rallies • Focus group discussions • Community dialogues These activities are carried out on quarterly basis.

17. Contents of discussions in clubs’ meetings The Married Adolescents Project focuses on Abstinence and Be Faithful issues. The materials on these issues have been packaged in the Advocacy Training Manual which is currently being used by the community advocates. The manual has been adapted to the curriculum for the SSYCs. Issues on early marriage is added to this manual.

18. AB intervention • Community advocacy AB activities are conducted with targeted beneficiaries - young girls in per- during- and post-marriage The AB activity is based on the Safe Space Youth Clubs (SSYC) methodology developed in 07. SSYCs will be established in communities where each of the 187 CAs are based. Each CA will set-up at least 1 SSYCs by 08.

19. AB intervention • A total of 187 SSYCs will be established in 08. Each SSYC consists of up to 20 members. A total of 3740 participants will benefit from these SSYCs. Each quarter, the SSYC participants will undergo the AB intervention package:

20. Benefits Findings from other countries have shown that youth participation in peer health groups has helped them in the following: • Develop higher aspirations, gain confidence, and develop meaningful relationships with adults • Foster resilience by giving adolescents opportunities to contribute to family and community • Enhance adolescents’ social competence, problem-solving skills, autonomy and a sense of purpose • Help young people to be more open to learning, engaging in critical dialogue, exercising creativity and taking initiative.

21. Monitoring the clubs • There is a register to record the attendance of the girls - Indicator • Number of meetings held • Attrition rate 2. A member serves as a rapportour. The report of the rapportour shows the topics covered in the meetings and activities carried out. - Indicator • Topics covered in the meetings • Activities carried in the meetings

22. Monitoring the clubs CAs to compile the rapportours’ reports at the end of the month The report contains: - attendance in the meeting for the month - topics covered in the month - Comments 4 Focal officers to compile reports of CAs for each state 5. Project Coordinators to compile reports of focal officers for each partner

23. Future Plans /Challenges!!!!! • Setting up other clubs comprising males or couples. • Not sure of meeting our target for C0 8

24. Thank You!