Adolescents

“Increasing Life Skills on Gender-Sensitive Reproductive Health in Juvenile Training Centers under Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection” Project

Adolescents have always been one of the target populations of PPAT as they are the future of the nation. In 2008, PPAT continued implementing this project with collaboration of Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, Ministry of Justice in disseminating gender-sensitive reproductive health knowledge for youths in juvenile training centers.

PPAT also collaborated with administrators of training centers in organising training for scoutmasters in Baan Muthita, Baan Pranee, Baan Ubekha and Baan Sirinthorn juvenile training centers to strengthen their capacities in organising life skill promotion activities for youth to create correct understanding of gender-sensitive reproductive health, health care, responsibility and respect towards sexual rights and safe and responsible sex.

This project can be considered as a pilot project which adopted Scout activities to improve behaviours of youths in juvenile training centers. PPAT has conducted a baseline study through small group discussions with both male and female youth groups. The information received was analyzed and developed into a manual which responded to the needs of young people.

As a result of monitoring and evaluation with concerned staff and youths, everyone deemed that the project is very beneficial. The administrators of Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, Ministry of Justice have recognized the importance of strengthening life skills on adolescent health and reproductive health for these young people. Therefore, they have acknowledged and supported PPAT in implementing the project continuously which is one the success point of this project.

Another success of this project is that young people who participated in the trainings have knowledge of life skills on adolescent health and reproductive health, and change their behaviours for better. Moreover, concerned staff members are able to apply the contents in the manual to disseminate information to youths appropriately according to the objectives.

Throughout 2008, PPAT has successfully implemented knowledge dissemination projects to other youth groups all over the country. 

 

Projects in “Adolescents” strategy

The “Prevention and elimination of child labour in hazardous work through occupational safety and health services in Songkhla and Pattani Southern border provinces” project

The project is part of The Internatioal Labour Organisations’s (ILO) support to the national action to combat child labour and its worst forms in Thailand.  PPAT is responsible in implementing the project in Muang district, Hat Yai district and Singhanakorn district of Songkhla province and Muang district, Pattani province.

PPAT has disseminated information and increased awareness on child’s rights, occupational safety and health promotion to child labourers, which received good support from concerned governmental and private agencies, the Federation of Thai Industries Songkhla and Pattani Chapters and owners of enterprises. They have also recognized the importance of this issue and signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on prevention and elimination of the worst forms of child labour in the fishery industry. Additionally, PPAT has developed and published 50 copies of a curriculum manual as guideline for speakers in organising knowledge dissemination activities for target groups. PPAT also produced 3,000 copies of small fans and calendars with occupational safety and child’s rights contents, and distributed them to child labourers. The knowledge dissemination activities for child labourers under 18 reached 561 persons, while the medical mobile unit services reached 425 fishery industry workers.

The “Increasing knowledge and understanding for children, youths and families on reproductive health and roles of children and young people in family and community” project

This project aimed to promote knowledge and understanding on reproductive health and roles of children and young people in family and community with cooperation of families, communities and community organizations. The project was implemented in 4 schools in Muang district, Chiangmai province.

PPAT has conducted trainings for youth leaders and parent leaders, overall 80 persons, and supported them in organising reproductive health knowledge dissemination activities for young people and their families. This project has strengthened the good relationship among family members in target area which is beneficial to community as a whole. Therefore, the local administrative organizations and schools have allocated budget to support in organising knowledge dissemination activities in target area and extended to other 21 communities to cover all communities of all students. Approximately 3,800 persons have taken part in knowledge dissemination activities which is higher than the expected numbers.

The “Feasibility study on developing Scout activity curricula” project

The project was implemented to study and analyze problems, obstacles, cooperation and feasibility in developing all four types of Scout activity curricula which will appropriate for the present state of society.

PPAT has conducted a study through interviews and small group discussions with target groups in seven schools in four regions. Overall 179 persons participated, including school administrators, scout teachers, students in each grade and parents in Nakhonpathom province, Chumphon province, Phitsanulok province and Nakhonratchasima province. The findings of the study were presented at the framework development meeting for development of Scout activity curricula. At the meeting, all participants agreed with the findings of this study, particularly these:  the results of considering the contents of Scout activities for students in each grade; teachers, students and schools’ administrators do not have in-depth understanding of the details of each Scout activities; and the Scout activities provided at schools, chosen by schools’ administrators and teachers, do not conform to the principle of Scout activities curriculum. Therefore, the meeting agreed with PPAT in developing a Scout activity curricula project.

The “Improving the quality of life of Thai-Muslim youths” project

The project aimed to increase access to gender-sensitive reproductive health knowledge and services of young people which conforms to Islamic teaching, in Pattani province. This project is supported by Pattani Islamic Committee, families, communities and Local Administration Organisations.

PPAT has developed a curriculum on reproductive health with concerned stakeholders, and conducted trainings for speakers to disseminate knowledge for young people. PPAT received good cooperation from the Pattani Islamic Committee in permitting their speakers to receive trainings from PPAT, and in developing IEC materials which conform to Islamic religion. Additionally, the Pattani Islamic Committee has integrated the curriculum as part of the committee's training for Thai-Muslim couples abut to be married. The project has reached approximately 859 young people in 2008.

The “Counseling services on reproductive health and unplanned pregnancy for students in Khon Kaen province” project

This project aimed to increase knowledge about adolescent reproductive health and sexual health care among young people in order to change their risky behaviours and protect themselves from STIs and HIV/AIDS appropriately. The project was implemented in three schools of Baan Phai district and four schools of Chonnabot district in Khon Kaen province.

PPAT has conducted trainings for 83 peer educator students in seven schools, and supported them in producing IEC materials for knowledge dissemination on unplanned pregnancy protection, family planning and STIs prevention. Additionally, schools' administrators have allocated budget and provided tools to facilitate students in researching data for IEC materials production. Teachers from participating schools also developed a sexual health manual for teachers to use during Health Education class. Khon Kaen Educational Service Area Office 2 also brought five peer educator students to Wat Phrabatnampu for field study on HIV/AIDS. Peer educator students have conducted knowledge dissemination activities for students in target schools, reaching 1,826 persons overall.

The “Improving the quality of life of families of youth members of NDR gangs, Chiangmai province” project

The project aimed to increase access to reproductive health knowledge, news and services for youth members of NDR gangs in Muang district, Chiangmai province.

This project is beneficial as it helps prevent basic problems of young people in Chiangmai. PPAT received good collaboration from concerned agencies, communities, families and NDR leaders. PPAT has conducted trainings for 48 peer educator members from NDR and 62 parents of NDR's youth members, and set up a watchdog network on preventing and solving problems of young people in the community level. PPAT also supported the network to organize knowledge dissemination activities which reached 100 persons.