Talking to teenagers about sex / by Anameli Monroy de Velasco

Talking to teenagers about sex by Anameli Monroy de Velasco M exico's answer to the problems of adoles-cent sex is known as CORA. This is a net-work of "orientation centres" (Centros de Orientacion para Adolescentes) which for nearly a decade has been providing health services to young people, with special emphasis on sexual and reproductive health. A non-profit-making, private association, CORA in fact offers a whole range of educational, social, psychological and medical services to adolescents, their families and the professionals who work with them. Drug abuse is another special topic at these centres. Since adolescents may be found either in school, at work or on the streets, CORA - the first institution of its type in Latin America - has designed different strategies to reach them, wherever they are. Youth pro- moters, young students aged between 17 and 24, organize sporting, recrea- tional and cultural activities in order to encourage youngsters to attend the centre during their leisure time. The network provides contracep- tive methods and information about sexually transmitted diseases in schools, factories and communiti~s. And youth teams, based either in the centres or in nearby youth clubs, go out to talk to young people in the streets or at work. CORA has collaborated with Tele- visa, a commercial television station, in making a TV "soap opera" called "Caminemos - Let's Walk." The programme has a story line specially aimed at young people and their parents, and includes fairly frank discussions of sex education and family planning. Another very successful strategy has been the annual contest to find the best Adolescent Theatrical Play- wright. The contest has been run since 1980 in collaboration with the National Institute of Fine Arts WORLD HEALTH , January-February 1989 (INBA) and the office of the Mayor of Mexico City. Contestants must be between 12 and 22 years of age, and the objec- tives are: - to offer young people a forum for self-expression where they can reveal their health problems and concerns; - to prevent problems of vagrancy by channelling their energy in a positive direction; - to stimulate artistic expression; - to sensitise community leaders to the needs of young people. Slide-tape shows can be important edu- cational tools for adolescents. Photos WHO/E. Schwab Over the past eight years a total of 308 groups, averaging 20 members each, have participated, and about 30,000 people have seen the perform- ances. In an effort to reach still more young people, their parents and the professionals who work with them, five of the best dramatic works were chosen to be put on video-tape. They are: - Susana: A story of two teenagers who experience the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy. - Jovenes Desorientados (Disorien- ted Youth): Lack of communi- cation with his parents causes a youth to run away and become involved with drugs and delin- quent behaviour. - Dos Adolescentes (Two Adoles- cents): A friendship develops between two teens with different sexual histories. This video deals with rape, sexually transmitted diseases , gender roles, and communication within the family. - Poesia en Voz Muda (Poetry in a Mute Voice): The story highlights the factors that cause the break- up of relationships among young people, such as immaturity and lack of financial resources and support. - Requiem para el No Nacido (Requiem for the Unborn Child): Abortion as an alternative to unwanted pregnancy seen from the point of view of two couples from distinct social classes. (These videos are available for purchase, and may be obtained by contacting CORA, Apartado Postal 21-205, 04000 Mexico D.F.) Puppet theatre is a tool we have found to be very effective. We use it to promote our services, explain the work of the youth promoters, and motivate young people to learn about AIDS, contraceptives, un- wanted pregnancy during adoles- cence, drug abuse and other health topics. We combine puppet shows with games of chance such as bingo when we have tables available, although theatre is often used in the streets where bingo is not permitted. We regard comic books as very important educational tools for adolescents. So we have developed a series of three comics on sex edu- cation (including prevention of STDs and AIDS, contraceptives, and preg- nancy). These are targeted at adoles- cents from 12 to 15 years old, but we are planning another series of five comic books for older adolescents. All the comics will be on sale in ordinary shops. We also use more traditional books and pamphlets, and in addi- tion have had some of the books made into slide-tape shows for use with large groups. These materials too are put on sale. During its ten years of experience, the lesson that CORA has learned is that adolescents are very creative and discover for themselves how best to communicate with their peers. Con- sequently, instead of providing them with material developed by adults, the best approach is to allow them to create their own materials and to learn from the process. • 15