Guidelines for Adapting Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones is a training package on HIV/AIDS, gender issues, communication, and relationship skills. The Stepping Stones process aims to help people to explore people's own behaviour and problems and find their own solutions. This means that, although the underlying principles and the process are relevant in all cultures, the topics covered and activities may need to change.

Stepping Stones was developed between 1993 and 1995, mainly in Uganda, working with a rural community, comprising Muslims, Protestants, Catholics and others, all living together in the same village. The package was designed in response to the vulnerability of most women and young people in decision-making regarding sexual behaviour, through men's gendered patriarchal domination of women, and older people's generally repressive attitudes towards youth. There is now a fully revised and updated version of the programme, called Stepping Stones and Stepping Stones Plus.

This guide is for anyone who is using Stepping Stones (shorthand for Stepping Stones and Stepping Stones Plus) and is thinking about making some changes, and for people who have not yet used Stepping Stones and wish to adapt it to their local situation. The guide is divided into four sections: Introduction, Thinking about Adaptation, Your Own Adaptation of Stepping Stones, and Training and Further Support.

"Salamander Trust strongly recommends that you contact them in order to adapt the programme effectively and in the spirit of shared learning." This CUSP Working Group Policy Brief provides more information on this issue.