OBJECTIVE
To decrease teen pregnancy rates among high-risk youths, through a long-term, youth development program which addresses underlying issues such as poverty, school difficulties and family dysfunction-- which may contribute to teen pregnancy.

BACKGROUND
The Adelante Amigos (Move Forward Friends) Program was developed by the Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties in 1996, based on its Amigo a Amigo (Friend to Friend) peer outreach programme and the Children’s Aid Society youth development model. Thirty mostly Latino youths (21 males and 9 females) from five low-income neighbourhoods have participated in the programme for 3-6 years of operation.

SCOPE
Adelante Amigos is a comprehensive programme which targets low-income Latino youths beginning in the junior or senior year of high school, and continuing for two years upon completion of high school. The programme is indeed comprehensive, addressing an array of key youth needs, including education in sexual health and life skills, and providing mentoring and counselling, academic and employment support and health care access. The project also trains participants as peer educators.

MAIN ACTIVITIES
Group members meet with the Programme Coordinator once a week for two hours. The group shares a meal and discusses school progress and family or other personal problems. A core topic such as job application skills or contraception is assessed.

The Coordinator communicates with each participant once a week by phone, is available for further support as needed, and meets with participants’ parents and teachers quarterly.

The group takes monthly educational and recreational field trips and bi-annual overnight trips to wilderness areas, etc.

Each participant is expected to share reproductive and sexual health information with a minimum of 30 peers, and is paid a stipend of $400 (USD) per year for peer outreach and programme participation. A scholarship fund is available to help cover college or other vocational expenses.

MANAGEMENT FEATURES

Strategy

The Adelante Amigos experience shows that long-term, holistic youth development models appear to be effective in both preventing teen pregnancy and STIs, as well as improving youths’ life skills and vocational outlook.

Capacity-Building

Intensive youth development and capacity-building through: discussion of key topics at group meetings, support and counselling by fellow participants and Programme Coordinator, and educational field trips.

Long-term vocational success is addressed through academic and vocational support, as well as access to a scholarship fund.Youth leadership skills are developed through the peer education experience, and renumeration is provided, which further validates participants’ contributions.

Mobilising

A youth (and project) support network has been established through greater communication between the Programme Coordinator and participants’ parents and school officials.A scholarship fund for participants has been developed.

Managerial Leadership

There are many unique features of the Adelante Amigos model which can be replicated effectively in similar youth SRH interventions.

• It combines a peer outreach model with a youth development model, which addresses critical youth issues such as pregnancy, STI and substance abuse prevention, life-skills building, and vocational support.
• The Project emphasises personal support by both the Project Coordinator and participant group, and is long-term (up to four years in duration), which allows for the support to have an impact on the participants’ lives. The Project Coordinator also involves participants’ families and school staff in creating a more conducive atmosphere for youth development.
• The Project provides tangible life alternatives for youths who are high-risk for gang involvement and pregnancy/STIs. These youths are paid for their peer education work, provided with life skills-building, and given vocational support and access to scholarship monies.
• The evaluation conducted by the peers is quite unique among peer education programmes—the peers document all peer contacts and conduct 3-month post-contact interviews with 50% of peers. This evaluation approach could be useful for replication in similar projects.

EVALUATION FINDINGS

• All but one of eligible participants graduated from high school, and 17 of 21 of these now attend college. 92% of sexually active participants are using contraception-- 2 have become pregnant and none have contracted an STI.
• Participants reported high programme satisfaction rates. Gang involvement and drug use have declined significantly.
• Participants have provided peer outreach and referrals to thousands of peers. Interviews with samples of these ‘contacts’ have found: 85% were more knowledgeable about topics discussed, 65% reported increased use of contraception and/or limiting their number of sexual partners, and 25% had followed-up on a needed referral 2-3 months after being contacted.