AIDS prevention to 5000 high schoolers in Bay Area

Summary

Teens For Testing is an innovative HIV/AIDS education program targeted at high school students that includes in-school HIV testing. By engaging each other openly, honestly and directly, teenagers have an opportunity to impact the sexual health choices of their peers.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Despite the efforts of current HIV/AIDS education and awareness programs, very few students have actually been tested for HIV. According to the CDC only 13% of teenagers in the U.S. have been tested for HIV. Our program provides this vital component.

How will this project solve this problem?

The Teens For Testing program seeks to engage teenagers in a peer-driven model of sexual health education and introduce regular HIV testing as a part of their normal healthcare routine. Conant Foundation believes that testing teenagers, even before they are sexually active, will greatly reduce the anxiety, fear and stigma associated with HIV testing as they move into young adulthood.

Potential Long Term Impact

The program will allow students to accept responsibility for their sexual health and the well-being of their partners, classmates, family and community. It will also increase awareness of risk reduction strategies for HIV infection and STI/HIV testing options. We anticipate a reduction of the stigma associated with being tested and or testing positive as more students participate in a program designed and implemented by their peers.

Project Message

"The program is helping people's awareness about our responsibility in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It's showing me how responsible I need to be for others and myself."
- Rayannah Dar, Student participant in the Urban pilot program

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources

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