Youth Alert!

Youth Alert! developed a number of communication objectives, which are delivered through the various elements of the programme. The programme's communication objectives focus on:

• improving personal risk perception;
• promoting delayed sexual debut;
• promoting abstinence for those who have only had sex a few times;
• reducing sexual partners;
• dispelling the trusted partner myth;
• improving knowledge on how to use condoms; and
• improving perception of condom effectiveness.

According to PSI, these communication objectives, and much of the strategy adopted by the Youth Alert! programme, are based on the findings of two nationwide knowledge-attitudes-practice (KAP) surveys which involved more than 5000 primary and secondary school students from all districts of Malawi. To reach these objectives, the project uses mass media and interpersonal communication channels to encourage behaviour change. These include the following:

• Youth Alert! Secondary Schools Program: Four trained Youth Alert! Communication Teams have visited every secondary school in Malawi. They engage young people in the issues of HIV and STI prevention and unwanted pregnancies and assist young people to acquire the correct knowledge and skills to avoid these barriers to achieving their goals. In visiting all 1000 secondary schools, Youth Alert! has reached over 300,000 students with two hours of entertaining, interactive education. Using interactive methods like role-play, participative drama, debate, and discussion, the Youth Alert! Teams educate, guide, and motivate young people to adopt healthier behaviour practices. During the visits, open discussions are held to encourages young people to ask questions and receive direct and honest answers.
• Brand Awareness Efforts: Youth Alert! in collaboration with the Malawi School Sports Association, has run two National Girls Football Tournaments. These involved over 600 secondary schools and 6,500 girls. Besides building brand awareness, this programme sought to help girls build self-confidence and self-esteem through sport. In 2003, over 30,000 young people attended the National Finals as part of a one-day festival held in Silver Stadium, Lilongwe. Youth organisations and peer educators provided sexual and reproductive health information to young people while drama, rap and reggae, traditional dancers, and local musicians entertained the crowd.
• Youth Alert! Magazine: The Magazine equips young people and teachers to continue the work, following the Youth Alert! school visits. The Magazine is a life skills workbook that delivers information and life skill activities that promote the communication objectives of Youth Alert!.
• Youth Alert! Mix Radio Show: In February 2003, the Youth Alert! Mix Radio Show was launched in response to an identified demand for a national radio magazine show for young people.
• Youth Alert! Mix Listener Clubs: In 2004, in collaboration with the JHU BRIDGE project, over 200 Youth Alert! Mix Radio listeners clubs were established in eight districts in order to provide young people with forums for guided, open, informative and engaging discussion on issues related to HIV/AIDS and adolescent sexual and reproductive health raised in the radio shows.
• Peer Education: In 2005, Youth Alert! also established a pilot community level peer education project in order to develop a best practice peer education curriculum and management model. Youth organisations receive peer education training, peer education materials, ongoing support, and supervision.

HIV/AIDS, Health, Youth.

During 2000, PSI/Malawi analysed the existing HIV prevention activities for young people in secondary schools. They found that few sources of credible information regarding sexual reproductive health for young people existed and access to such information was limited. PSI/Malawi asked young people what type of information they wanted, how they would like it presented, and whom they wanted to hear it from. Young people told PSI/Malawi that they wanted the information to be fun and engaging for all of Malawi's youth, not just club members, and that they, the young people, should be involved in its design. Youth Alert' s development was based on these findings. Young people told PSI/Malawi that they wanted information to be fun and engaging for all Malawi's youth, not just club members.