Step Up foundation

Project 1 : Life skills education program

Children and youth are very important part of our society. If we can give inputs for their psychosocial development, better society will be created. It was seen that there are lot of issues like love break ups, addiction, teasing and abuse and many other behavioral problems among children above age of 10-12 years i.e. adolescents. Especially children from slum areas have very high percentage of addictions like cigarette smoking, gutkha, alcohol, whitener etc. Also they have many issues at family level, as a result there is high number of school dropouts or lack of concentration in studies. In this age they go through lot of changes: physical and psychological. They have lot of confusion doubts about the same. It is also seen that at this age children get involved in physical and emotional relationships and many times that leads to emotional turmoil among them.

So it is very important to talk openly about the changes and issues related to them. With this aim we started Adolescent education program i.e. life skills education program in schools.

This Program covers life skills domain to make positive changes in adolescents’ thinking pattern, attitudes, approaches and hence behavior. Topics covered under this program are concept and understanding changes that occur in adolescence, sexuality.

 

The biggest advantage of sex education, it will help :

1. Fight the rising spread of AIDS

2. Prevent the cases of sexual abuse and support the victims

3. Reduce the cases of unwed mothers

4. A comprehensive sex education can help the present generation live a secured life

 

With this thought we started ‘Adolescent Education Program’

Sex education cannot be a typical educational practice in school; we cover all psychological, physiological and social aspects of the topic. We focus on providing all the scientific information about the topics and resolve all the queries of children. Children reaching the teen phase start showing peculiar behavior that can grow up into bigger problems in future, if not given the right knowledge at the right time. An effective sex education at school along with adequate communication between parents and children at home can bring about a lot of change. So we try to communicate with parents as well through parent meetings.

Another important issue need to be handled with adolescents is addiction. They get attracted towards things like smoking alcohol and other substance abuse because of peer pressure or may be for fun curiosity.

After the sessions we have seen many cases that came forward for de addiction. At least they get aware of addiction as it is a disease and feel the need to overcome it.

Also many cases of sexual abuse come forward mostly in girls and they talk to us. Because of these sessions they get confidence that it’s not their fault and they should raise voice against it.

 

Activities under this project :

 

We have observed following positive impact of our lectures on students :

1. Change in thought process about sexual development

2. Students understand natural sexual development and how it gets reflected in their behavior

3. Children have knowledge about attraction of opposite sex and how it can be managed

4. Marked change in use of abusive language especially in boys

5. We have seen remarkable reduction in anxiety about sexual development

6. There is raised acceptance of bodily as well as emotional changes with age

7. Raised confidence which comes along with clarity about the concepts of sexuality