1. Integrating Reproductive
Health into Youth
Development Programs
Angie Venza, Program Director
May 2012

2. International Youth Foundation
• Invests in the extraordinary potential of
young people.
• Works in 73 countries with 200 local
partner organizations.
• Delivers holistic programs to promote
positive youth development – through
learning, work and citizenship.

3. Planning for Life Program
2007 - 2013
• Approach: Integrate youth reproductive
health/family planning education into on-going
youth education, livelihoods, and civic
engagement programs.
• Goals of Integrated YRH/FP education:
Empower youth with information
Equip youth with skills to make responsible
decisions and behavior choices.
Connect youth to resources

4. Planning for Life: 2007 - 2013
• Carried out with local partners in: Philippines,
India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal,
Jordan, St. Lucia and Dominican Republic
• Resources developed and available:
Framework for program integration
Program planning matrix, by age
Project design and proposal writing guide
Ten-lesson curriculum and training guide (in 7
languages; adapted to multiple cultural contexts)
FieldNotes offering lessons learned and best
practice

5. Planning for Life Lessons
1. Personal Values 6. Sexually-Transmitted
2. Puberty Infections
3. Reproduction 7. HIV/AIDS
4. Teenage 8. Substance Abuse
Pregnancy 9. Gender Roles &
5. Contraception Stereotypes
10.Gender-Based and
Sexual Violence

6. Planning for Life
Why integration? Steps to Integration:
 Helps youth make the 1. Identification of trainers
connection between 2. Training of Trainers
responsible RH/FP 3. Community mapping &
behaviors and life goals. youth surveys
 Makes effort more 4. Translation and initial
sustainable by adaptation of lessons
embedding it in
institutions 5. Pilot testing with youth
 Connects efforts to local 6. Final adaptation of lessons
community 7. On-going integration into
programming

7. Lesson #1
Life skills are prime entry point for
integration
• Youth should have basic life skills training
prior to RH/FP lessons
• Skills related to self-awareness, respect,
decision-making, conflict resolution, and
communications are a base for applying RH
• Prior rapport established with trainers and
classmates helps make youth more
comfortable talking about sensitive RH topics

8. Lesson #2
Utilize non-health experts as trainers
• Have life skills training experience
• Builds buy-in/commitment and skills among
existing staff
• More cost–effective to sustain and replicate
• Requires awareness raising and training to
address sensitive topics
• Supplement with outside experts/ service
providers for technical subjects

9. Lesson #3
Involve Youth-Friendly Service
Providers
• Identify and visit local service providers
(RH/FP, substance abuse, GBV counseling)
to ensure they are youth-friendly
• Invite them to participate in trainings to
provide technical input and increase youth
comfort level
• Have a list of youth friendly providers to refer
youth

10. Lesson #4
Adapt Delivery and Content to Local
Context
• Survey youth ahead of training to identify
knowledge gaps and cultural biases
• Low literacy levels may require more role-plays
and active games
• Consider segregating classes by gender for
some topics
• Use an anonymous question box for risky topics
• Be sure to address myths and misconceptions

11. Lesson #5
Ensure Community Buy-In
• Parents, community/religious leaders, service
providers, government, NGO staff, etc.
• Critical for youth to have supportive
environment
• Explain program in non-threatening way to
increase comfort level
• Invite stakeholders to observe trainings
• Find local ‘champions’ to support you,
especially if there is resistance