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Early adolescence marks a critical time of development for young adolescents including intense physical, hormonal, and social changes. Previously, most research and programs addressing youth reproductive health (RH) and HIV issues have focused on older adolescents (aged 15 to 19) or young adults (20 to 24). However, the importance of reaching young adolescents (aged 10 to 14) is gaining more attention, and there are now more curricula that address the special needs of this age group. A review from the International Women’s Health Coalition identified many important issues concerning this age group, such as the increasingly early maturation of girls, the serious health risks of very young pregnancy, their lack of sexuality knowledge, and their vulnerability to sexual violence.
A YouthLens  (4 pages, 136 KB) research brief from the Interagency Youth Working Group addresses this topic, summarizing new interventions among community-based efforts and school-based approaches.
Studies have shown that well-designed, curriculum-based RH and HIV education programs have a positive impact on sexual behaviors including delaying sexual initiation, reducing the number of sexual partners, and increasing condom use. Several resources on young adolescents and newly developed curricula are listed below.
Recommended Resources
Reports and Briefs
Beacon of Hope: Evaluation of the Kenya Girl Guides Association HIV/AIDS Program for School Children, Horizons Final Report (28 pages, 417 KB)
This is a 2007 evaluation of the Kenya Girl Guides Participatory Peer Education Program for HIV and AIDS Prevention. The program trained Girl Guide Patrol Leaders as peer educators who communicate key information and concepts about such topics as HIV prevention, relationships, and self-esteem to other Girl Guides, and ultimately to their school peers. (Population Council, 2007)
Overlooked and Uninformed: Young Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
This series from the International Women’s Health Coalition on young adolescents presents the evidence for more responsive policies and programs regionally and globally to improve the sexual and reproductive knowledge and behaviors of 10- to 14-year-olds. (International Women's Health Coalition, 2007)
Tools
Investing when it counts: Generating the evidence base for policies and programmes for very young adolescents - Guide and tool kit. (PDF, 3.3MB) These documents address the lack of research and attention to the sexuality needs of young adolescents. The guide compiles new data-gathering approaches, tools, and methodologies. The methodologies described in the guide are useful primarily for discovering which young adolescents are most vulnerable, what their needs are, and whether they are being reached by existing programs. (Population Council, 2006)
Standards for Curriculum-Based Reproductive Health and HIV Education Programs. (65 pages, 223 KB) This document contains 24 standards for use in adapting or developing curricula in developing countries, grouped in three sections: development and adaptation, content, and implementation. It includes tips on using the standards with examples of how many have been used, and 12 pages of annotated resources. (Family Health International, 2006)
Curricula
Choose Life: A Guide for Peer Educators and Youth Leaders: A Curricula for Youth Ages 10-14 (116 pages, 1.8 MB)
This training guide for peer educators and youth leaders includes 12 interactive modules with an emphasis on abstinence and healthy choices for younger youth, covering alcohol, sexual coercion, sexually transmitted infections and other topics. It includes Biblical reference activities in the modules. (World Relief, 2006)
International Clearinghouse on Curriculum for HIV/AIDS Preventive Education
This site is a resource for professionals working in the area of curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation of HIV programs at the primary and secondary school levels. It includes several databases of tools and curricula available for HIV prevention education. (UNESCO)
Our Future: Sexuality and Life Skills Education for Young People. Book 1: grades 4-5; Book 2: grades 6-7; Book 3: grades 8-9
This series supports the teaching of sexuality and life skills education to young people. These books are being used by schools in Zambia as part of their curriculum to teach young people about puberty, friendship, gender, sexuality, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV. (International HIV/AIDS Alliance/Zambia, 2006)
Tuko Pamoja: Adolescent Reproductive Health and Life Skills Curriculum (184 pages, 1.2 MB)
The second edition of this Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health curriculum, entitled Tuko Pamoja (We Are Together), is designed to delay sexual debut, promote reproductive health, and equip adolescents with life skills. Designed for ages 10 to 19, sections appropriate for ages 10 to 14 are clearly noted throughout. (PATH, 2006)
Positively Informed: Lesson Plans and Guidance for Sexuality Educators and Advocates
A resource kit of lesson plans and guidance for comprehensive sexuality educators. Intended as a source of ideas, examples, and inspiration for educators developing their own sexuality education curricula, the lesson plans use creative, interactive, learner-centered teaching strategies, and are adaptable to diverse cultural settings. (International Women’s Health Coalition, 2004)
My Changing Body: Fertility Awareness for Young People (151 pages, 648 KB)
This training manual was developed by the Institute for Reproductive Health of Georgetown University and Family Health International to teach girls and boys ages 10 to 14 years about the changes they experience as they approach puberty. (Georgetown University and Family Health International, 2003)
Adolescent Reproductive Health and Life Skills Curriculum for Upper Primary School Youth (179 pages, 1.1 MB)
This curriculum is used in the Chill Club program (ages 10-14) in Kenya to help encourage dialogue among students, teachers, and parents on issues related to adolescent reproductive health. (Population Services International/Kenya, 2005)
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