GIFT OF LIFE CLUBS UGANDA

PEER EDUCATION AS OUR IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Some educators, funding officers and program planners may have had an uneasy belief that faith based peer education (or other types of peer involvement) may not be helpful in planning, implementing or operating a program designed to change attitudes, norms and behaviors. Extensive research, published in the last two decades, has shown definitely and beyond question that peer programs can have statistically significant effects on attitudes, norms, knowledge, behaviors, and health and achievement outcomes

.Statistically significant evidence of the positive impacts of peer programming findings include:

• Improved reproductive and sexual health outcomes, including reduced incidence of pregnancy, births and STIs

• Reduced sexual risk behaviors, including delayed initiation of sex, reduced number of new sexual partners as well as increased abstinence among sexually experienced youth, reduced frequency of sex, and increased partner communication

• Increased incidence of testing and sharing test results, including testing for HIV, for STIs, and sharing positive test results with a partner

• Reduced substance use, including alcohol , cigarettes, marijuana and other drugs as well as anabolic steroids, diet pills, and injection risk behaviors

• Improved outcomes of non-sexual risk behaviors, including reduced arrest rates, reduced sports injuries, and refusing to ride with a driver who had been using substances

• Improved other outcomes, including employment , school attendance , and school grades and graduation rates

• Improved healthy behaviors, including seeking appropriate health care and also diet, exercise and breastfeeding

Despite the challenges in peer programming, the evidence is there – easily accessible – to demonstrate the value of peer programming. Extensive research, published in the last two decades, has shown definitely and beyond question that peer programs can have statistically significant effects on attitudes, norms, knowledge, behaviors, and health and achievement outcomes.

Programs such as Gift Of Life Clubs-Uganda that are well designed, properly implemented, appropriately run, and regularly evaluated to assess currency and how they fit both the target audience and also the talents of the peer workers, have a significant effect on reducing risk seeking behaviors and improving health and other outcomes. Peer work is a valuable and useful component of efforts to improve youth’s health and well-being.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

1. To prepare children and young people with value based life skills that can enable them respond to life challenges and secular values

2. To train and empower Peer facilitators and community resource persons(corps), teachers and child care givers in Education For Life, counseling and Behavior change communication skills and strategies.

3. To form ,strengthen and consolidate peer support clubs (Gift Of Life Clubs) in schools, communities and parishes for positive peer support and sustainability.

4. To disseminate information on behavior related issues and Increase awareness on HIV/AIDS and STDs related concerns , in all its dimensions inorder to help them have a good knowledge base and to positively influence attitudes for informed decision making.

5. To empower participants with life skills that will influence the process of effective and informed decision and choice making as well as encourage responsible behavior among young people.