Overview of Community-Based Abstinence Education Grant Elements
What’s new in abstinence?
Teen-Aid, Inc. was awarded a new grant under the Community-Based Abstinence Education Program entitled I’ve Got Connections (IGC). This HHS/ACF* project runs for three years, 2004- 2007. The heart of the grant is to develop a saturation model that will enable small organizations to reach communities with the abstinence until marriage message using a variety of vehicles. There is a reliance on technology to save duplication of efforts, reach rural populations with a limited amount of resources and connect teens to their parents. The project uses an economy of scale to develop media pieces to share in each region. Educational materials teach social skills in compliance with section 510 of the welfare reform act of 1996 otherwise know as abstinence education. Using the abstinence education definition, the benefits of waiting until marriage to engage in sexual activity and the benefits of embracing an all-around healthy life comply with the (A-H) definition. Geographic areas to be served during the first year include California, Montana, Utah and Washington. To view goals for each state click here.
*HHS/ACF - Department of Health and Human Services/Administration for Children and Families
Outreach Media
Radio ads deliver specific social skills that have transferable implication in reducing risk taking behaviors. This mass education reaches teens and the adult community. The ads are unique, informative and these 60 public service ads can be easily modified for your abstinence group.
Speakers: Local volunteers are recruited and trained to present relationship education to parents and teens in a variety of settings. These SHARE trained (www.share-program.com) volunteers are equipped to make a one to several hour presentation in schools, small groups and community settings, including to faith-based organizations. They do not take the place of teachers in the classroom but enhance abstinence education as it now occurs. Meet Heather Ferguson, a young woman impacted by I've Got Connections in Utah.
Written Materials
Brochures: A series of brochures discussing refusal skills, compatibility comparisons for dating, assessment of dating relationships, boundary setting, understanding the benefits of marriage and returning to abstinence are available to participating community agencies and schools.
Posters: A series of posters declaring the message of abstinence until marriage because of welfare reform consequences and support reform consequences, as well as, posters for goal setting, decision making and abstinence until marriage are going to schools, the community and public areas for display.
Curricula: Public school curricula are delivered by teachers from IGC in juvenile detention programs. Classroom teachers are trained to deliver the materials to students in public schools. Materials available include Maturing in Body and Character for upper elementary, Me, My World, My Future for junior high, and Sexuality, Commitment and Family for senior high.
Evaluation
Electronic Surveys: Evaluation takes to the super highway with IGC. After many years of students and teachers pointing out how boring it is to do evaluation surveys, Teen-Aid developed an on-line, less boring survey to measure the effectiveness of abstinence education programs. You will still want a professional evaluator to analyze the data but the data are entered by the students and collected for you. It has as few errors as is humanly possible (but we won't comment on computer error possibilities). To find out more go to On-line Evaluation.
Electronic Reporting: If you are a Title V or SPRANS grantee you may want the convenience of entering your daily activity information on-line, too. We did and we are glad to share this time saving – paper – pushing headache reliever with you, if it helps. See On-line CBAE Reporting or contact us at: teenaid@teen-aid.org.