School Outreach Program

1. School Outreach Program

2. The School Outreach Program…………………is integral to creating a world of equality and balance…………… • It allows children to be grow up without concepts of gender roles • It focuses on bringing up children who are comfortable under their skin • It sends out a signal to children that subjects which disturb them are not taboo and can be discussed with adults • Makes them rely on accessing information on sex related subjects from reliable approved sources rather than friends, magazines and the internet. • Opens the doors for us to help them when they face dangers of harrassment and abuse

3. Adolescence Education: Growing Up Healthy • Focus Groups: • Primary • Upper Primary • Secondary and Higher Secondary

4. Profile of Indian Adolescents • 20% of our population (age 10 – 19 yrs) • 56% of females and 25% of males in the 15-24 age group anaemic: affects their physical growth, cognitive development, performance in school and at work as well as reproduction. • 47% of women and 16% men reported they have never received any information on sexual matters from anybody. • Only 28% of young women and 54% of young men had comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS while 35% of AIDS related cases come from this age group. • The projected number of drug abusers in India - 3 million mostly in the age group 16-35 (UNODC, 2003). • 53% women and 56% men in the 15-24 age group felt that wife beating is justified under specific circumstances. (NFSH – 3)

5. Adolescence Education: a response to adolescence realities • Health needs, particularly reproductive and sexual health (ARSH) needs of adolescents, continue to be ignored and neglected. • They stand at the threshold of adulthood. • They need authentic knowledge that helps them understand the process of • growing up with particular reference to their reproductive and sexual health needs. • They have to be well equipped to cope with the problems which they confront. • They need guidance and independence simultaneously: education as well as • opportunities to explore life for themselves. • They need to attain the level of maturity required to make responsible and informed decisions.

6. Arguments for AE • Socio-cultural traditions of India is not a safeguard against irresponsible sexual behaviour of individuals. • There is a need to make interventions to enable individuals, including young people to practice responsible behaviour and protect themselves from risky situations. • Adolescents would like to get accurate information about the changes in their bodies including sexual development. • Lack of reliable information creates anxiety and confusion and generates myths and misconceptions among adolescents. • Sexual abuse and exploitation of young girls and boys, and even minors, is a problem in our society. • Young people need to be made aware of the need to respect the inviolability of every person, and to safeguard themselves against abuse and exploitation.

7. AE at Primary Level Objective: To enable children to identify situations which make them uncomfortable and express to a trusted adult. Specific Objectives: • To identify different body parts • To enable them to adopt healthy hygienic practices • To enable children to understand an elementary concept of friendship • To develop among children an ability to express their feelings and experiences Content Outline: • Body parts. • Hygiene and genital hygiene • Healthy eating habits • Student activities to identify qualities of a friend • Awareness about behaviors – touch, cajole,remarks • Student activities to identify feelings of discomfort e.g.smoking • Expression of feelings without fear and shame

8. AE at Upper Primary Level Objective: To understand and accept the various physical and psycho-social changes and development during adolescence. To enable young people to understand relationships with peers, family and society and make informed choices with respect to different relationships To understand basic concepts, stereotypes and inequalities related to gender and sexuality To build awareness of various kinds of violations. To develop understanding of modes of HIV transmission and its prevention and Empower adolescents to practice informed and responsible behaviours To be aware of the reasons and consequences of substance abuse and be able to effectively protect themselves.

9. AE at Upper Primary Level • Objective: To enable young people to understand relationships with peers, family and society and make informed choices with respect to different relationships • Specific Objectives: • • To enable children to understand the nature of relationships with neighbourhood. • • To enable children to identify positive and negative influence of classmates • • To enable children to understand different ways of dealing with good and bad • influences of classmates • • To develop among children an ability to express empathy and solidarity in friendships • • To develop an attitude of disapproval of exploitative/disrespectful relationships. • Content Outline: • Nature of relationship between family and neighbourhood. • Student activities on developing skills to distinguish between good and bad influences • Varied experiences of dealing with good and bad influences of classmates • Different ways of expressing one’s feelings of friendship. • Importance of expressing one’s feelings boldly and with confidence in the • family and in the school. • Awareness about exploitation of children

10. AE at Secondary and Senior Secondary Level Objectives: To enable adolescents to understand physical and psychological changes during adolescence and be comfortable with them. To enable adolescents to be aware of implications of child marriage, adolescent pregnancy/parenting To enable young people to understand inter personal relationships with peers (including opposite sex), sibling, parents,teachers & others in the community. To empower adolescents to understand and challenge existing norms and inequalities related to gender and sexuality To enable young people to understand various kinds of discrimination and violations and develop skills to counter/seek redressal

11. AE at Secondary and Senior Secondary Level Objectives: To develop understanding of HIV epidemic and empower adolescents to Practice informed and responsible behaviours. To understand the dynamics and critically analyze the implications of experimentation, use, abuse and addiction to various habit forming substances. To develop appropriate attitudes and skills to deal effectively with situations that increase young people’s vulnerability to substance abuse.