Y PEER Sri Lanka by V. Thusandra ( Thushi )

Youth Peer Education Network on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

V.Thusandra,Youth Mobiliser- UNFPA,

Focal Point In charge -Y PEER Sri Lanka

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Y-PEER in Sri Lanka

Y PEER activities in Sri Lanka commenced in 2010 with the training of three young people as Y-PEER master trainers and focal points.

In 2011 and 2012, six additional young people were also internationally trained as Y-PEER focal point and trainers.

This presentation highlights the achievements of the 9 Y-PEER focal points over the last 2 ½ years.

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2010….Partnership with Sarvodhya

World AIDS Day

Y-PEER Sri Lanka in partnership with Sarvodaya Shathisena commemorated World AIDS Day in Vavuniya. The event was lead by peer educators and 20 young people living with HIV. And this was the 1st ever largest World AIDS Day commemorated outside of the capital city with maximum youth participation.

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2011….Partnership with Rotaract

One-day workshops on HIV and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health were conducted in partnership with the Rotaract.

Rotaract is an International Organization of young professionals and students aged 18 to 30 who are committed to service, fellowship and leadership in their communities and beyond. It was established by Rotary International in 1968.

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2011….Partnership with the University of Sri Jayawardenepura

“Road to Adulthood” (cyber peer) was the 1st ever computer based learning tool on Sexual and Reproductive Health, developed in partnership with of the University of Sri Jayawardanapura’s Faculty of Community Medicine. This tool is being piloted.

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Three Y-PEER focal points received scholarships to take part in the Asia Pacific Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Indonesia in October 2011.

They presented papers on peer education and on sexual harassment in public transport.

One of the Y-PEER FPs took part in the World AIDS Conference in Washington DC in 2012.

2011….Y-PEERs represented internationally

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2011….Celebration of the International Year of the Youth

All Island debate competition on Sexual and Reproductive Health in the celebration of the International Year of Youth was conducted in 2011. The event was awarded as the best International Year of Youth activity by the United Nations Friendship Organization in the region.

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2011….Commemoration of the world population reaching 7 billion

Y-PEER in partnership with the National Youth Services Council organized a youth event to commemorate the world population reaching 7 billion in October 2012. Around 400 young people participated in a fun bus painting event.

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2012….partnership with YWCA

Y-PEER entered into a partnership with the Sri Lanka Young Women’s Christian Association to conduct a series of training of trainers workshops for young women between the ages of 18 on 30.

The result was 100 young women being trained on Sexual Health and Gender based Violence. 9 sensitization programmes were also held before the trainings for the gate keepers and parents of each area.

A peer educators diary was also produced with the help of Y-PEERs as an M & E tool.

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2012….partnership with the Sri Lanka Federation of Youth Clubs

In 2012, Y-PEER and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development entered into a agreement to conduct an island wide trainings on ASRH.

This resulted in the translation of the Y-PEER manual to Sinhala and Tamil languages.

120 trained peer educators from 25 districts with a gender and ethnic balance from all across Sri Lanka participated in the programme.

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More in 2012..

All island debate competitions on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health were successfully conducted in 2012 with the participation of 620 young people.

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The Thinkwise- Let’s talk HIV awareness campaign as part of the ICC T20 cricket tournaments was hosted by Sri Lanka. The Y-PEER team joined the road show for one month, spreading HIV awareness messages and edutainment activities as a local partner.

More in 2012..

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Y-PEER Sri Lanka partnered with the Ministry of Child Development & Women’s Affairs to conduct awareness creating programmes on gender and SRH to newly appointed Gender Focal Point Officers. The prime objective of this programme was to build capacity and knowledge of Ministry staff through awareness creating and sensitization on Gender and SRH.

More in 2012..

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On going and up future projects..

Sexual and Reproductive Health awareness for the deaf young people with the partnership of Disability Organizations Joint Front (DOJF), Sri Lanka.

HIV and safe sex practices awareness for the road construction staffs in Kilinochchi.

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Y-PEER Sri Lanka

Good practices

First ever trained group of young people on ASRH with international recognition

By young people, for young people

Fruitful relationship with government and civil society organizations

ASRH resources in local languages

Excellent support from UNFPA CO

Well structured standard edutainment methodology developed and documented

Lessons learned

M&E needs to be strengthened

Y-PEER Sri Lanka branding and visibility need to be improved

Sustainability needs to be built into the present structure

Keeping Y-PEERs engaged is a challenge (drop outs)

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Nothing for us; without us - Thank you !!!!

www.ypeerinaction.org

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