The Experience of the Teenpath Project

1. Education Matters: The Role of the Sector in Promoting Universal Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support Teachers and Sex : uneasy bedfellows? The Experience of the Teenpath Project Waranuch Chinvarasopak PATH Thailand

3. Youth Sexuality?

5. CurriculumandTeacher Manual

6. Teenpath Program Goal: to institutionalize and increase the scale of youth sexuality education and HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Thailand Objective 1: Develop a foundation of human resources and skills among adults and youth to promote sexuality education Objective 2: Create a supportive policy and community environment for sexuality education and sexual health Objective 3: Promote youth voice and youth involvement

7. Teenpath Project Conceptual Framework Policy Support Advocacy for Sustaining Intervention in Education and Service Systems Create Social Atmosphere Supportive to Sexuality Education and Positive Sexuality Development Create Spaces/ Support Youth-Led Actions Capacity Development for Curriculum Development and Trainers Training and on-going Coaching for Teachers/ School Administrators Partnership and Network Enhancement M & E M & E Community and Parenting support for Sexuality Education Production/Distribution of Curriculum, manual, IEC materials Competence trainers and Sexuality Education Teams/ Networks in each Region Referral Networks among Health and Social Service Providers and School teachers Model Schools with Active Youth Engagement in all the regions

8. Key Concepts for Sexuality Educators: Sexuality Positive Youth Development Learning Process

9. Comprehesive Sexuality Education • Human Development • Relationships • Personal Skills • Sexual Behavior • Sexual Health • Society and Culture *A Comprehensive Sexuality Education developed by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of The United States (SIECUS), National Guidelines Task Force.

10. Positive Youth Development

11. Participatory Learning “ I told myself this training was not like many of those I attended in the past where they had several hundred teachers sit and listen—but this training we had to constantly be thinking, and we were exposed to various methods of learning. I found that very useful to alter my teaching styles, though I have to admit using questions in guiding the learning is the hardest skill.” Ajcharaporn Kaewmorakot Deputy Principal, Thayang School, Petchburi

12. Curriculum is not the answer! “I can’t really accommodate the 16-hour TEENPATH requires, it is too much. We can do it in one grade maybe, but not in every grade, we don’t have enough teachers. Although our students may not be exposed to sexuality education every year, it still better than nothing. Other teachers who went to the training with me weren’t ready to take on extra work, and I can’t force them” Ms Somporn Thongsamak Health Education teacher Thasalaprasithsueksa School, Nakorn Srithammarat “…..Today we already have a sexuality education curriculum, thanks to the TEENPATH Project —but it is still unclear who are the main responsible persons for it in school. Should that be health education teacher? Or should it be guidance teacher? Then who or which unit of the education superintendent is responsible for ensuring that schools are implementing sexuality education and improving teacher skills? Who will be responsible for producing new teachers for this subject area? I have not heard any clear signals from the policy level.” Mr Somnuek Boonpanya Education Superintendent, Srisaket

13. Factors perceived by teachers to enhance their confidence in delivering sexuality education

14. Before joining the training, teachers have had less confidence in sexuality teaching role, comparison of Round1 and Round 3 Survey % of those who answered they felt “little” against each statement

15. Goal of Sexuality Education ? “…I have seen students change. I can tell they really enjoy learning and exchanging ideas. Some of them are really remarkable, from a quiet guy in the back of the classroom to become someone very vocal and debating with their peers, expressing very good ideas. But I’m still not confident if sexuality education is working—as (some of) them are still pairing up and may even have stayed (overnight) together—that really makes me sad..” Ms Somporn Thongsamak Teacher, NakornRajasrima

16. “ I have never been comfortable talking or joking about sex. I did not know much about family planning; I do not know of natural method, nor pills, nor condoms. I never talked about my sex life with anyone—when we had to do the exercise (9-personal questions) during the training, I remember how very uncomfortable I was. But now I’ve changed—I can talk to people even in large group about these matters. I even can tell you now that I have never used condom, nor ever take any contraceptive since I’ve got married many years ago.” Juriporn, (50 yrs) Education Superintendent “This is very different from mathematic teaching that I’m doing—there is always right and wrong answers. But you were told in sexuality education you have to keep restraining from to do this-- and that I found it is hard to believe. I don’t think I can do that, you are the teacher, and you are older, you have more life experience --you have to be able to tell them what is right or wrong” Amnuay, Math teacher Ubonratchathani

17. Teacher Self-report of Changes before training andone year after teaching sexuality

18. Concerns of teachers related to teaching sexuality education before training, and one year after the training

19. Factors affected teachers in delivering sexuality education Lesson plan does not fit timing Preparation takes too much time Lack supporting materials Demanding teacher preparation Uneasy with content Cannot fit lessons plan with the subject requirement Others

20. Sexuality Education Teachers ? Long-term investment !

21. Is there hope in having teachers delivering effective sexuality education ??

22. Thank you. PATH37/1 Petchburi Soi 15, Bangkok 10400, ThailandTel: 66-2-653-7563 to 65 Fax: 66-2-653-7568email: wchin@path.orgwww.teenpath.netwww.path.org

23. The youth perspective on sex education By Mr Sukrit Duangsung Secondary school student, 12th grade Sisaket Withayalai School Youth delegate, PLAN International Thailand

24. (translation) • I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be here to share with you the youth experiences in my country – Thailand. • I am currently studying in secondary school. I have had a better opportunity than some of my friends at the same age who do not have a chance to continue their education after their 6th Grade. Although the compulsory education in my country is nine years, half of young people have to leave school after they finish primary school. They may enter factories, sell things on the street, hang out with no job, and some live on the street.

25. TRANSLATION • We have plenty of opportunities to learn and to talk about sex. Boys and girls also talk about this among ourselves.But we can only talk to each other, because we usually can not talk with adults, neither those in our families, schools, nor anywhere. • There might be some parents who start talking about sex with their children, but I believe there are not many. Any parent who is able to discuss about sex openly with their child must be able to talk with them about everything. Because talking about sex is very difficult, almost as difficult as when we have to tell our parents that we use drugs.

26. TRANSLATION • I have been very lucky that my school provides its students with comprehensive sexuality education, because my school has cooperated with Plan International and PATH, two organizations that promote the integration of comprehensive sexuality education into the school curriculum, rather than as an ad hoc activity.

27. TRANSLATION • I think getting comprehensive sexuality education does not encourage young people to start having sex, which is what many adults tend to believe. I myself also believed this, before I had a chance to learn sexuality education myself, because when talking about sex education, most people think that the subject must teach about sex or how to have sex. Certainly, young people like me are interested in this issue as well.

28. Nonetheless, we have more than enough sources to learn about sex – VCD, internet, clips, which are available any time. But I think that is not what it means when it comes to “comprehensive sexuality education” which my school provides. • I have learned that sexuality education teaches us to understand ourselves, understand the changes we are facing, our emotions, our thoughts.

29. TRANSLATION • The discussion and sharing among friends in sex ed classes has enabled us to learn that we are normal, our friends are also normal. There might be different developmental stages such as body size, the changes that either come early or late, but this is all normal. It helps us reduce our worries and concerns about our sexual development. And that we are interested in sex is also a normal part of growing-up.

30. TRANSLATION • In my class, we are able to share and learn that men and women may think differently. We learn the expectation on relationships, how we should treat each other in a way that shows mutual respect. • I think schools in my country still treat female students unfairly. When a girl gets pregnant, she has to leave school, while the boy will only get a warning, but he could still continue his school. • I do no mean that the boy should leave school as well. But what I don’t understand is why the girl who gets pregnant cannot continue her study.

31. TRANSLATION • We must seriously provide young people with comprehensive sexuality education, discuss openly how to prevent unwanted pregnancy, how to use condoms, how to use contraceptives, where could we get all these prevention devices for free or at a reasonable price, and most important, we should not be blamed when we seek these prevention options. • If we do all this, we should be able to reduce unwanted pregnancy, abortion, STI and HIV infection.

32. TRANSLATION • I had a chance to join a camp with friends who live with HIV. They all grew up as teenagers and are also interested in sex. But no one talks openly and directly with them how to manage their sexual life. •  I don’t know what to advise them either. But I do believe that if everyone in the society understands and does not discriminate people living with HIV, then we should be able to live together, and if we decide to be partners, we could use condoms.

33. TRANSLATION • But first, we have to increase the acceptance for people living with HIV and reduce the discrimination so we can live together and love each other. • I again insist that good comprehensive sexuality education should enable people to understand all these issues. • I know it’s not easy because many teachers are not comfortable in teaching about sex. If they do, they will be selective in what they feel more comfortable to discuss and leave out other issues.

34. TRANSLATION • I think teachers are just like parents. They are afraid that talking about sex, especially about how to prevent unwanted consequences will prompt us to have sex. In my country, we call this “showing the squirrel how to get in the hole”. Actually, all squirrels already know the hole, and so young people already know about sex.

35. TRANSLATION • I would like to briefly express my impressions while attending this conference. I see how this conference fully engaged young people, I also see the power of youth that gather in this conference. In my country, youth are also actively involved in HIV/AIDS efforts to help disseminate key messages to our friends on HIV prevention and responsible sex. • We, as young people, have to challenge adults, since adults may want to support us, but they are also have some limitations that do not allow us to think and work freely.

36. TRANSLATION • I would like to urge adults here who work on HIV/AIDS and support youth education that the sooner you provide sexuality education to us, the sooner it will be an opportunity for us to gain knowledge and skills that will help us manage our sexual life and learn how to prevent ourselves from HIV and STIs. • Nonetheless, providing HIV/AIDS information solely is not enough, we, young people should be fully engaged in all stages, from planning to implementing, as an equal partnership.

37. TRANSLATION • Finally, what you as adults can do is to support us to create and lead youth-led activities to reach out to our peers. You should provide efficient resources, be supporters and friends with us. You may think we are crazy or that we might do something wrong, but you should let us try first and let us learn from our own mistakes. • It is “the learning and life experience” that we, young people, have to learn to be responsible. If we fall, we have to be able to get up and start over again.

38. TRANSLATION • This will enhance us to grow up as adults who are open-minded and it will create new opportunities for the next generation. • Thank you very much.