PROJECT REPORTS

Report on training for the young people from Montenegro, Serbia and Spain

April 05 � 19, 2008

Hotel � Grbalj�, Budva, Montenegro

CAZAS team organised 15-days training for the Volunteers from Media and reform centre Nis, Asociacion Juvenil Serena-Mundo Asermun, Castuera and CAZAS from Montenegro. Attendants were 30 peer educators on HIV/AIDS prevention.  They all are peer educators or trainers in the field on HIV/AIDS. Development of the HIV/AIDS prevention toolkit and networking were main topics at the training

Participants at the first day of the training had an opportunity to be introduced with the program they went through as well as with the lectures. Aim of this lecture was to introduce participants with the information on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as importance of joint fight against stigma and discrimination People Living With HIV/AIDS face.

Training was prepared to help participants to give their contribution to this project by doing their survey. They had a task to go on the streets and in the medical institutions in Budva and to ask people they met, about HIV/AIDS issues in their town. The conclusion after the survey was that the people did not have any information about them and they did not hear about such counseling centers in medical institutions. After outreach survey they back and did the presentation about their surveys, because they were divided into the groups and every group had their conclusions about the task they had.

Training was made on the following learning principles:

§         Time was allowed for reflection and corrective feedback

§         A mutually respectful environment was created between trainers and participants

Training included the following training tehniques which allowed participants to convey informations, theories, or principles in their presentations. They also had opportunities for the casy study and analysis and discussion. The importnat part of the training was work in the small groups and discussions within them. That was aslo opportunity to share to share experiences and ideas, or solve a problem together.

The main areas of discussion were:

·        Promoting peer education programs

o       Motivating peers to participate

o       Looking at promotion techniques

·        Communicating with peers

o       Effective exercises

o       Communication techniques

·        Obstacles with peer education

o       Overcoming social/cultural barriers

o       Dealing with taboo issues

·        Evaluating effectiveness

o       Effectiveness of peer education (and its disadvantages)

o       Evaluation techniques

·        Awareness of the wider context

o       Looking at peer education as part of the wider context of HIV/AIDS prevention

o       Other prevention methods e.g. campaigning

o       Discussing issues such as gender, human rights and their relationship to HIV/AIDS

o       Other issues that can be dealt with through peer education e.g. drug abuse, SRH

The part of the training was planned for the planning of the promotion of the counseling centers in the hometowns of the participants. The participants together with their trainers made a plan for the promotion activities. The final conclusion was that these activities are very important. This is important especially for the young for the information they may get there. They are shame to ask their parents or teachers so this is a good way of their informing. Training module delivered is designed in a way that provides a lot of space for participation during the workshops. During reflection parts of the training it was noticeable that participants got significant information but most had theoretical background that helped to deliver better results.

The promotion plans:

Purpose

To promote the project results in order to inform young people on the importance of joint response on HIV/AIDS issues.

Number of total hours spent on promotional activities: 500

Where?

o       Schools in rural and urban areas, squares, parks

When?

o        June 1 � September 1 2008 (5^h per person)

Target group

• Young people (teenagers, students)

• General public interested in HIV/AIDS

• 600 persons to be reached as direct beneficiaries (20 persons per participant)

Means of promotion

• Balloons

• Media activities

• Organizing the info stands

• Distribution of promo materials

• Organizing the presentations in schools in urban and rural area

Evaluation

At the end of the training participants were given evaluation sheets. The form of evaluation was presented in the way that participants implied their attitude by marks from 1-5 (span: 1 for completely dissatisfaction, and 5 for remarkable satisfaction), there were also some question they answered and gave their suggestion for them.

The atmosphere of workshops was evaluated by participants by average mark 4,80, selection of themes by 4,60. According to their opinion the way theme was presented was evaluated by 4,53 and their personal impression and satisfaction by 4,60. Finally, the whole seminar was evaluated by 4,47.

Their impressions, comments and suggestions were:

The benefit from the training they understand as stimulant. The important benefit for them is also the exchange of experience and knowledge with their peers.

The knowledge they gained is very useful, especially in concrete situations.

The most successful during the seminar was exchanging information, especially through group work.

Almost none of the participants had any objections regarding the organization of the seminar.

The participants said that is good to have some concrete examples as stories, films, slides...

References for the future work were to move in direction that they need to be more skilled in conversation with the people. The special suggestion was that it would be good and useful to meet again after some period of time, when they would exchange the experiences and consider effects of realized activities.

The project provided important opportunities for young people to acquire skills and competences. The project results contribute to the document called �National Youth Action Plan� adopted by the Government of Republic of Montenegro. This document presents a key instrument for non-formal and informal learning in a Montenegrin dimension. Non-formal and informal learning within the project takes place in a wide and varied range of settings. Learning in the youth field provides important and effective instruments for making learning attractive, developing readiness for lifelong learning and promoting the social integration of young people.

Non-formal and informal learning enabled participants to acquire essential competences and contribute to their personal development, social inclusion and active citizenship, thereby improving their employment prospects. Learning activities within the youth field provide a significant added value for society, the economy and young people themselves.

Conclusion:

These kinds of youth exchanges are essential to promote adolescents' healthy development and prevent sexual and reproductive health problems, including HIV/AIDS. Young people should have access to preventive services to monitor their healthy growth and development, including sexual and reproductive health, through the primary health care level. Unless services are 'friendly' to young people, they will be unable to attract young people to use them. They will therefore be unlikely to seek them for prevention, but rather only after it is too late - when they are already pregnant, have an STI, are concerned about their HIV status or have undergone an unsafe abortion. We recommend networking in other municipalities in Montenegro, Spain and Serbia where young people can feel safe to ask about their health. We also recommend involvement of young people in similar actions since young people can best reach another one.

Training team