It’s hard to know what to think about the number of new British initiatives aimed at reducing unwanted pregnancy among teens (Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe). I want to give them an “A” for effort, but I don’t know enough about the system, or British cultural mores around sexuality and sexual health, to understand why they don’t seem to be working.
Last week the Guardian reported on a failed mobile initiative that produced one-minute video episodes featuring teens discussing relationships and contraception issues that are sent directly to mobile phones. Not enough teens signed up for the free series and the initiative cost £250,000 (around $400,000 USD).
Today a colleague sent me an article from the Times Online about another program that will give boys starting at age 12 the opportunity to learn about condom use and, once they demonstrate that they understand the information, be awarded a card that they can show at select locations (including “football grounds, barber’s shops and scout huts”) and get free condoms. The initiative sounds gimmicky, and it will likely succeed or fail based on how well it actually engages youth, but I appreciate the number of levels they’re trying to work on. First they’re trying to make condoms more accessible by taking them out of the clinics and drug stores. Second they are trying to engage boys and take some of the focus off girls as the ones solely responsible for lowering the teen pregnancy rate. They are also trying to make learning fun.
One aspect of all this work I haven’t heard enough about is how much the policy makers and program managers are involving youth in the actual development and delivery of these initiatives. It seems to me that when you want to target youth you need to actually listen to what they have to say.
Again, I don’t know enough about either program to judge good, bad, or neutral, but at least they’re trying.
Read more:
- TimesOnline: Boys to get credit card for condoms
- Guardian: £250,000 safe sex campaign slammed