Young people for young people develop peer-based

training manual for HIV prevention, sexual education

and drug use
Youth RISE has launched a youth-driven training manual for HIV prevention,
substance use, and sexual health in order to empower and educate young
people, reduce stigma and ultimately save lives.
1 December 2010 (World AIDS Day), Mexico City.- As we mark World AIDS Day, its
important to recognise that whilst young people are most vulnerable to HIV infection, they
also embody the greatest potential for change. Engaging young people in the design and
delivery of educational material is the most effective way to reach young people and develop
life-saving HIV prevention knowledge.

Evidence clearly demonstrates that young people continue to be most affected by the HIV
epidemic. Furthermore, HIV, sexual health and drug use are inextricably linked, especially for
young people.

Recognising the severe lack of available and appropriate peer based resources, Youth RISE
embarked on a two-year project to develop a resource for practical use by peer educators to
address these issues. The training manual is the result of a series of workshops conducted in
2009 and 2010 by young people in Romania, India, Canada and Mexico. This last through the
local based organisation Espolea, another youth driven project.

The training manual provides much needed free access to training resources for young
people on HIV/AIDS prevention, substance use, sexual health and young people. Young
people can now use this step-by-step manual to facilitate peer education workshops, with
flexibility to include regionally specific sections on topics that are more relevant to young
people in their region, such as stimulant use or alcohol.

“Substance use and sexual health are taboo topics, making it difficult for young people to
openly discuss their issues and concerns”, said Brun Gonzalez from Espolea while helping
out in the first of 3 workshops delivered in the country. This is why we, at Youth RISE believe
that empowering and educating young people on how to reduce harms and prevent HIV
infection in an open and non-judgemental space is critical for positive health outcomes.

The MTV Staying Alive Foundation funds the project, and Youth RISE will design and
facilitate trainings in four additional countries over the coming two years. Publishing more
materials in English, Spanish and Arabic for now.

The training manual can be accessed at www.youthrise.org and www.espolea.org. A versions

of the manual in Spanish is also available, and an Arabic version will be published in January
2011.

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Youth Resource. Information. Support. Education for reducing drug-related harm

(Youth R.I.S.E.) is an international youth-led organization, and is uniquely positioned to
address the issues faced by young people who use drugs. It is the aim of Youth RISE to
empower young people who are affected by drug use and policy to effectively and proactively
work at systemic policy change to ensure that young people are included in harm reduction
strategies and within the drug policy debate.

Contact: Aram Barra

Drug Policy Programme Director and Working Group Member
aram.barra@espolea.org / 52 155 1451 6899