Moderator’s Note: Dear members, please find below the Consolidated Reply of the query on Life Skills Education among Rural Adolescents

Pardada Pardadi Educational Society, New Delhi(from Islam Hussain, Pahal Institute for Community Empowerment and Micro Finance, Nainital)

114 B Khirki Village, P.O. Malviya Nagar, New Delhi 110017; Tel: [phone], [e-mail]; www.education4change.org; Contact: Ms. Preeti Dhaka

Its mission is to uplift and empower girls from the poorest sections of society by providing free education and vocational training
Buds of Christ, Tamil Nadu (from Mary Julie)

305, MIG 6th Cross Street, Mugappair Eri Scheme, Chennai – 600037

Implementing Life Skills Education for adolescent children in namakkal district in Tamil Nadu through the formation of community groups.
From Meenakshi Aggarwal, Research Associate
Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues (TARSHI), New Delhi

A 91 Amritpuri, 1st Floor, East of Kailash; New Delhi 110065; Tel: [phone]; Fax: [phone]; [e-mail], http://www.tarshi.net/

Working on issues of sexual and reproductive health amongst adolescents through counselling to enable them to make responsible reproductive and sexual health choices
UNFPA, New Delhi

EP-16/17 Chandragupta Marg; Chanakyapuri; New Delhi 110021; Tel: [phone]; [e-mail]; http://www.unfpa.org/rh/lifecycle.htm

Works extensively on Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health across the country

Recommended Portals and Information Bases

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (from K. L. Khanna, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), New Delhi)

http://www.nyks.org/npyad.html

Scheme for promotion of youth activities, trainings, and development and empowerment of adolescents through Adolescent Development Programmes, National Integration Camps etc
From Asheema Singh, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), Noida
Resources on Adolescent Education Programme, National Institute of Open School http://www.nos.org/aep/download.htm

National Institute of open schooling adopted LSE for discussed to evolve strategies for fighting against them
Videos related to Life Skills Education, National Institute of Open School

http://www.youtube.com/user/niosaep#g/a

The portal gives a list of videos related to Life skills education uploaded by the National Institute of Open School
Publications from INSA-India (from Edwina Pereira, International Services Association - India (INSA-India), Bengaluru)

http://www.insa-india.org.in/publications.htm

Portal gives some publications for promoting adolescent health by International Services Association – India.
Documents on Reproductive Health (from Sushmita Mukherjee, International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), New Delhi)

http://icrw.org/taxonomy/term/17?page=2

The page gives a range of tools and documents from International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW)

Cartoon Based Educational Materials (from Dr. Koen Van Rompay, Sahaya International, California; and Durai Selvam, READ India, Perambalur)

http://www.sahaya.org/iec-materials.html

Portal has a range of cartoon based Educational materials developed by Sahaya International
From Aarathi, Community Development Foundation (CDF), Gulbarga
Terre des Hommes, Germany

http://www.tdh.de/content/foreign/englisch.htm

Portal gives information about the TDH, Germany which supports Community Development Foundation for a high school programme at Sedam Taluk of Gulbarga District
Adolescent Education Programme (AEP)

http://www.nacoonline.org/Quick_Links/Youth/School_Age_Education_Program_SAEP/

Portal gives details of this school-based programme that is implemented across 144,409 secondary and senior secondary schools, implemented by the Department of Education in collaboration with the State AIDS Prevention and Control Societies.
From Ragini Pasricha, Vistaar Project, New Delhi
National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level

http://ssa.nic.in/girls-education/npegel/brief_NPEGEL_12Mar07.pdf/view

An important component of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan launched in 2003 it is a focussed intervention to reach the “Hardest to Reach” girls, especially those not in school.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhayalaya (KGBV) Scheme

http://ssa.nic.in/girls-education/kasturba-gandhi-balika-vidyalaya/kgbv-scheme

Scheme launched in 2004 for setting up residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
GFK-Mode (from Dr. Udita Ghosh Sarkar, GfK MODE, Kolkatta)

http://www.gfk-mode.com/

The organization did the mid-term and end-line evaluation for Reach India’s learning games programme
Educational Computer and Mobile Phone Games (from Subhi Quraishi, ZMQ Software Systems, Delhi)

http://www.freedomhivaids.in

Freedom HIV/AIDS is first ever initiatives on HIV/AIDS awareness using mobile phone games
12 by 12 Initiative, GOI, WHO, UNICEF, FOGSI (from Suneeta Mittal, AIIMS, New Delhi)

http://www.12by12initiative.com/

Launched in 2007 by AIIMS in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, FOGSI and MoHFW and it aims is to ensure 12gm% Haemoglobin in every child by 12 years of age
Related Consolidated Replies
Teen Club Guidelines, from K. L. Khanna, NYKS, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,

Government of India, Delhi (FOR COMMENTS). AIDS Community for Solution Exchange India,

Issued 29 June 2009. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/aids/cr/cr-se-aids-06040901-public.pdf (PDF, Size: 212 KB)

Seeks Comments on the 'Draft Guidelines for Teen Clubs' aiming at rural adolescents, especially those who are not going to school
Converging HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, from Amitrajit Saha, PATH, New Delhi (Experiences). AIDS Community and Maternal and Child Health Community.

Issued 1 January 2008. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/mch/cr/cr-se-aids-mch-14120701.pdf (PDF Size: 117 KB)

States that integration of SRH services with HIV services is essential in maximizing impact and resources to address HIV, maternal and infant mortality rates, and the need for contraception
Strengthening Implementation of Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health - ARSH Program in India (Discussion); From Vijay Kumar, Independent Consultant, New Delhi; Maternal and Child Community for Solution Exchange India;

Issued 21 November 2008. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/mch/cr/cr-se-mch-06100801.pdf (PDF, Size: 269 KB)

The 1st part of the discussion focuses on how to increase the demand for the adolescent friendly services amongst the adolescents for strengthening implementation of ARSH programme
Strengthening Implementation of Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) Programme-Topic 2 (Discussion); Guest Moderator: Vijay Kumar, Independent Consultant, New Delhi; E-discussion; Maternal and Child Community for Solution Exchange India;

Issued on 31 December 2008. Available at ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/mch/cr/cr-se-mch-28110801-public.pdf (PDF, Size: 179 KB)

The 2nd part of the discussion focuses on the supply side of adolescent health services in the hospitals and health centres by ensuring and making them youth friendly at the same time
Sex Education in School from R. Natarajan; Reliance; Chandigarh (Experiences), AIDS Community for Solution Exchange India,

Issued 22 March 2006. Available at ftp://solutionexchange.net.in/public/aids/cr/cr-se-aids-22030601-public.pdf (PDF, Size: 127 KB)

Approaches and experiences with reaching out to students, particularly those exhibiting high-risk behaviour, for more effective education on sex, sexual health, negotiation skills etc

Responses in Full

Deepak Kumar Kar, National Rural Health Mission, Guwahati

As an initiative of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Assam, we are implementing a pilot project on Life Skills Education (LSE) in one of the districts. The project aims at improving the awareness of rural adolescents regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues. This project is being implemented in partnership with the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Guwahati Zone. Please find a brief description:

Background:

The project is supported by NYKS, Assam and aims at community outreach activities in Kamrup Metro district as the pilot district. It is a totally community-based project with referral channels to facilities. The project aims at improving the status of adolescents and their awareness level on SRH issues through peer educators and youth volunteers who have been selected from the community and are trained for the specific purposes and actions they need to deliver.

Project Area:

The project is being implemented in 100 villages under the Sonapur Block Primary Health Centre in Kamrup Metro district. This particular district is selected because of its poor indicators related to the SRH status of adolescents in the state. In the second phase, we are proposing to up-scale the project by its implementation in another district.

Activities:

• 
  One girl and one boy each are selected as peer educators from each village with a minimum population of 1000. These peer educators are in the age group of 15-19 years. A peer educator in this project is called a Sathee and we have 100 boys and 100 girls as Sathees from the entire project area.
  
• 
  For every 20 Sathees, one peer volunteer called Sathee Mitra, in the age group of 22-28 years is selected, who. They function as a guide and act as the link between implementing agencies and Sathees. In total 10 Sathee Mitras have been selected from the project area
  
• 
  Monthly village level activities are being conducted among adolescents with the help of Sathees and Mitras.
  

Response of the project:

As far as teachers are concerned, their attitude regarding this project is quite welcoming. We have also received comments like at least it is better to impart knowledge of SRH among adolescents through this type of village level activities and peer education rather than through school curriculum. They have said that, most of the time they face difficulties of clearing the doubts in a school set-up because of their status being that of a ‘Teacher’.

The Sathee Mitras are trained on LSE by the trainers of NYKS, who percolate it down to the peer educators in the village level. In addition, we have some village-level activities those involve parents, where they discuss on the life skills issues of adolescents.

One of the most positive factors of this project is that there is no such direct authoritative role of the implementing organisations, NRHM or NYKS. Thus, the rural adolescents own the project themselves.

Reaching out to the out-of-school adolescents has not been an issue so far, as the activities are beyond any structural set-up like schools or colleges. The Sathee acts as a source of information on various issues regarding SRH and is available in the village itself. There is no restriction of time or pre-occupation so that the out of school adolescents are missed out.

Benny. K. J., World Vision India (WVI), Dharwad

I work with the World Vision India (WVI) in its Uttar Kannada Area Development Programme (ADP). It is good to know that you are promoting Life Skills Education (LSE) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) for adolescents as a prevention strategy for HIV.

LSE is a good tool for making behaviour change among adolescents, if it is done systematically and by relating to the practical realities in life of each individual. However, if we conduct LSE just like any other classes in the school curriculum, it would not be helpful in making significant changes in the behaviour pattern of the students.

Students must understand the purpose of LSE and feel the changes in approach and strategies used in conducting the class. One of the limitations of the teaching methodology adopted in many of our schools is that, it promotes the habit of learning by heart some theories and definitions. Such a methodology does not give much importance to connect the subject with daily life. Hence, while we teach LSE, a desire should germinate and sprout in the hearts of students to apply the learning in their daily life. For this to happen, the best method is to conduct the classes in different ways than usual and in an attractive way. Perhaps, we have to come out from the four walls of class rooms for conducting LSE for adolescents, where we can use the cooperation of the whole community in villages. In such a scenario, it will be easily accessible to the dropouts too.

Devashree, L. T. College of Nursing, Thane

I have not been involved directly in Life Skills Education (LSE) or Adolescent Education Programme (AEP) implementation. However, during my post graduation, one of my friends dealt with similar issues on child abuse. In her study, she explored the option of involving teachers in disseminating information to parents, and encouraging them to educate their children on issues related to child abuse. This approach helps in two ways:

1. 
   The parents will get correct information and guidance in dealing with these topics with their kids. This is very helpful in settings where majority of parents do not know how to address the issues of adolescent health, sex education, menarche, menstrual management, and similar topics.
   
2. 
   Parents will be able to guide or educate the adolescent child in more suitable ways considering the socio-cultural norms and diversities.
   

Thus, I think it is better to involve the Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) of the schools rather than teachers directly addressing it to students. Make parents aware that today's generation is such that if we do not talk about these issues, they will get the information from other sources which may turn out to be harmful or wrong. Thus, we have to convince parents and teachers that it is always better to deal issues appropriately rather than leaving adolescents to get wrong information from various sources like friends, televisions, magazines, and internet.

Of course, even this strategy leaves behind the issues regarding school drop-outs after primary school. For addressing this issue, we can start implementing this plan among parents and teachers of students just before the end of primary school. Thus, we still will be able to cover most of the parents who will in turn continue to educate their children as they advance through adolescence. By adopting this approach, at least we will prepare the parents to be able to deal with such issues. If parents still do not use it, then they are opting for a choice of keeping their child away from correct information, and thereby denying their rights.

I hope this information is of help.

Maya Mascarenhas, Myrada, Bengaluru

Good to know you are working in Sedam. I serve as the Programme Coordinator for Health, with Myrada. Please get in touch with our team working on different HIV and health projects in Gulbarga.

In collaboration with the Tamilnadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), and Myrada, International Services Association - India (INSA-India) developed a curriculum for youth called Celebrating Life. It covers a range of topics including aspects of growth and development, understanding the vulnerabilities of youth to various risk behaviours, basic facts of HIV, dealing with peer pressure, life skills to address the risks, sexual abuse, and sexual and reproductive health rights. The curriculum was developed with the involvement of youth and has several interactive activity-based exercises. TANSCAS uses it in all their college-based programmes.

The curriculum is designed in two parts. The first part - a three-hour primer- is a kind of "teaser" to get the students interested in the topics. The second part is a 10-hour programme, consisting of 10 separate one-hour units of the topics in detail. This design gives the flexibility of either finishing the entire programme in a two-day workshop or doing one-hour at a time every month at follow-up meetings. Myrada uses this curriculum in the 100 college-based programmes it is implementing in the Bidar, Mandya, Kodagu and Chamrajnagar districts of Karnataka. Please find more details at http://www.insa-india.org.in/HIV_prevention.htm

We have found this programme very useful with the out-of-school youth in rural areas in the link worker programme we are implementing in the above four districts of Karnataka. The closest one to your area is in Bidar. I will be very happy to share this curriculum with you. Please feel free to visit the Bidar site and see for yourself how it is working.

Anamika Sharma, Shine Foundation, New Delhi

We are implementing a Life Skills Education (LSE) programme for the last three years among an urban slum community. As you rightly mentioned, issues do arise from different corners when it comes to discussing topics like Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) or HIV. First of all, looking at the need of the hour, it is really important that the adolescents have access to knowledge from a very reliable source. Hence, the person facilitating LSE has to be a trained professional and should be well acquainted with the knowledge and its relation to day-to-day life. I have seen and experienced that thorough knowledge helps in confronting and changing the misperception held by people on these issues. We also have monthly meeting of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), through which we keep the parents updated on what is happening in the classes.

Regarding social taboos, it does not matter whether you are implementing the programme in rural or urban areas, as the stigma is almost the same everywhere. In any settings, you need to convince the youth and their families, especially mothers, the importance of attending these classes. If possible, do invite the mothers to attend the sessions. The youth really find these sessions to be very useful and informative. As far as the teachers are concerned, they have to leave their personal beliefs behind, and need to look at the situation more practically. You can approach them with the current issues based on facts, and sensitise them about these issues including early marriages and pregnancy, maternal deaths, and unsafe sex and its consequences. Additionally, invite them to attend the classes and when they themselves listen to the queries or myths of the students, their own queries will sometimes be answered through the session. They will be more than happy to be a part of it, which surely help them to rethink on the situation. Due to the gender issues, you can have separate trainers for boys and girls.

As far as the out-of-school youth is concerned, you can ask your students to share the same with their friends, as we have in the concept of peer educators. You can also organise awareness programmes, conduct street plays, and have community meetings. In addition, you can train few mothers or youth volunteers to conduct the same sessions in the community. The acceptance for the people from within the community will be much more than someone else coming and discussing these issues.

I hope this information will help you.

Anil Kumar Sukumaran, Orchid, Isleworth, United Kingdom (UK)

Your query is very valid and it is a delicate issue especially in states having pockets of ‘closed’ societies. Adolescent Education Programme (AEP) with focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) had a setback in several states as it had explicit sexual content. It requires a strategic approach to ground the programme, so that the contents can reach the target population without too much of explicit contents or illustrations.

I have headed a Scheme for Adolescent Counselling for Health (SACH), similar to the projects initiated by the State Innovations in Family Planning Services Project Agency (SIFPSA) and MAMTA, in Uttar Pradesh. Uttarakhand has also initiated similar projects associated with two First Referral Units (FRUs) in all 13 districts. Salient features of these SACH projects are:

1. 
   No explicit illustrations, only relevant line drawings are used;
   
2. 
   In each districts, two FRUs having Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs) were linked to SACH;
   
3. 
   Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are effectively linked to provide counselling services;
   
4. 
   Services of ICTC counsellors and visits of a male doctor and lady doctor is emphasised;
   
5. 
   One NGO in each SACH district is involved to coordinate the project, besides community mobilisation and a resource centre to cater to the information needs of the adolescents;
   
6. 
   Each resource centre shall be equipped with infotainment for adolescents where there shall be different timings for boys and girls
   

Technically, the contents of LSE fall under the Education and Health departments. From a strategic point, as you are working in an NGO, you should go through Health department. Specifically, you may involve the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and the Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), who have a mandate to cover the Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) aspects in villages. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has provisions for wide array of training programmes and counselling services for the adolescents, which you may try to collaborate with. District Health Department will be happy to involve NGOs to collaborate in their community health projects.

States like West Bengal have gone a step ahead with Adolescent Friendly Health Services (AFHS) where they offer not only clinical but also counselling services. Due to several factors including commercialisation of health care and medical services, AFHS is a gap area in India which needs to be addressed. Some NGOs like MAMTA have initiated training of medical officers on the issue of AFHS.

Concepts of LSE and SRH education for Adolescents are like a double-edged weapon. They need to be dealt with utmost confidence, though at the same time without hurting the sentiments of the society and privacy of individuals. Nevertheless, I agree that there is an element of politics involved, which allows or disallows these concepts to work.