Peer Education Seminar in Clarendon

Youth.now recently hosted a peer education seminar in Clarendon, as part of efforts to promote healthy sexual lifestyles among young people in 10-15 age group.
At the seminar held at the Hotel Versalles in May Pen, Youth.now parish coordinator, Norman Campbell, said that the event was aimed at teaching adolescents responsible sexual habits to prevent early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.
“We at Youth.now are emphasizing abstinence particularly within this age group. We are also urging our youth to be more sensitive to HIV/AIDS and other infections and to carefully consider the importance of having healthy sexual values,” he said.
About 30 students from Denbigh and Effortville Primary, Cross Primary and Junior High, and the St. Augustine Place of Safety benefited from the seminar, which included interactive sessions on sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and personal hygiene.
Mr. Campbell said that other sessions were to be held with the young people early in the upcoming year on peer pressure, teenage pregnancy, carnal abuse and conflict resolution.
Youth.now was officially launched in February 2000 as a joint project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Jamaica and is being implemented by Futures Group International.