OBJECTIVE
To dispel the confusion and misconceptions surrounding human sexuality, marriage, and contraception among youths by introducing sexuality counselling along with family planning (FP) services.

BACKGROUND
The Sex Education, Counselling, Research, Training and Therapy (SECRT) programme was initiated to prepare youths to become healthy and responsible adults and parents. It was formed by the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) which currently operates 9 such programmes throughout India.

SCOPE
The project serves to control further transmission of …………through public information and education activities, medical treatment and care, human rights work, social support and research, and evaluation programmes.

MAIN ACTIVITIES
The SECRT provides factual information on aspects of sexual health, RH, human relations, marriage, parenthood, and contraception. It also provides counselling for teenage, premarital, marital, sexual, FP and other problems including referral services. Its sexual health care programmes cater for youths, parents, teachers, and others including the disabled and mentally handicapped.

The youths are reached through competitions such as poster preparation, essay writing, drama/role playing, and debates. While some of these competitions are limited to participating schools, others held in conjunction with public events are open to the public. Participants are encouraged to interact with the Young Inspirers thus giving them the opportunity to ask questions.

Upon invitation, the Young Inspirers conduct sessions at schools and colleges and reach the out-of-school adolescents through lectures that rely heavily on pictographs. In cases where expert help is required, or follow-up is necessary, youths are referred to the counsellor at the FPA clinic. The Young Inspirers also travel to rural areas to talk to youths there.

The SECRT, keeping in mind cultural and religious sensitivities, has published pamphlets, booklets, charts, workshop proceedings, and audio-visual aids.

MANAGEMENT FEATURES

Strategy

• Target adolescents as well as adults to eliminate resistance in exposing youths to sexuality programmes.
• Conduct marriage enrichment programmes.
• Conduct training programmes and workshops on human sexuality for teachers, doctors, social workers, and other health professionals.
• Conduct surveys and research studies, publish literature and audio-visual materials on human sexuality particularly on marriage and family life.

Capacity-Building
Careful selection of young people as peer counsellors at the workshop.

Mobilising Resources

• Peer educators educate and mobilise their peers.
• The community is actively involved.

Managerial Leadership

• Provide advice and constructive criticisms without interfering with the decision-making process of the Young Inspirers.

EVALUATION FINDINGS

• In general, the community appreciated the efforts undertaken by the Young Inspirers.
• Teachers, although convinced that youths need to be informed about sexuality and RH, are often not comfortable in imparting such knowledge.
• Community leaders in the rural areas learn about the Young Inspirers programme through the SECRT’s outreach activities and are supportive of the programme.
• The programme is faced with the challenges of developing appropriate evaluation tools because, since youths are exposed to various kinds of related information, it is difficult therefore to measure the real impact of the programme.