AYA PROGRAM AREAS

Policy and Advocacy — Ghana's supportive policy and program environment for adolescent sexual and reproductive health bodes well for AYA activities; however, AYA will work to continue improving the conditions. AYA has embarked on evidence-based advocacy to change or adapt laws in support of adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), while also developing an overall strategy with stakeholders. AYA will form strong ASRH networks and coalitions at district and national levels with members from both the private and public sectors. Situation analyses of its stakeholders' advocacy capacities will be conducted, and AYA will support and build this capacity based on the research findings.

Behavior Change Communication — Peer education training and activities comprise a central element of AYA's BCC strategy, with AYA adapting a counselor training manual to improve counselors' skills. In-school activities began with development of a guide and training teachers in its use, leading to teachers conducting ASRH activities with youth. Life-planning skills development activities will include adapting an existing manual, training facilitators, and training students and out-of-school youth. AYA will train its in-country partners in entertainment-education strategies and conduct and monitor mass media campaigns to support ongoing behavior change communication and community advocacy activities. District-specific fact sheets on key ASRH issues will be developed and disseminated, and advocacy and mobilization activities will take place at the community level. AYA will provide capacity building activities for its partners, including training in parent-child communication and effective participatory techniques for training.

Youth-Friendly Services — Building on existing reproductive health services, both the public sector and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) work with AYA to improve access to youth-friendly services. In the public sector, AYA is integrating youth-friendly services into existing services. Training materials have been created and training for service providers conducted, with a strong focus on quality assurance. AYA is working to strengthen and develop links between facilities and outreach points and improve referral systems. The NGO sector is reaching young people by strengthening current outreach service and peer-provided services, as well as by expanding condom promotion networks for young people. All AYA partners help to ensure that a minimum package of equipment and supplies is available to provide youth with services.

Institutional Capacity Building — AYA's capacity building approach focuses on all in-country partners, with emphasis on improving organizational capacity and specific management systems to achieve ASRH goals, using proven and field-tested management tools. All partners in Ghana will receive at least a "minimum package" of technical assistance to strengthen existing key managerial systems and institutional competencies. AYA will also select up to three partner organizations for more in-depth interventions for systems that directly affect their ability to achieve ASRH outcomes such as financial management, strategic planning, data collection, or logistics management.

Integration of ASRH into Livelihood Skills Development Programs — AYA is working to enhance established livelihoods programs, which provide important skills for youth, by integrating ASRH content and activities into the programs. Integrating ASRH information ,skills and services into the many existing livelihood programs fills an additional youth development need and provides a powerful joint work effect. Activities have begun with young people and instructors in a few livelihood training centers, and AYA continues to explore the best strategies for integrating ASRH content into existing livelihood skills institutions, programs, and curricula in order to expand activities.

Coordination and Dissemination — To enhance ASRH partnering and program coordination and dissemination at national, district and community levels, existing coordination and dissemination structures are being used. Functional links at these different levels will be promoted and will involve other stakeholders as identified by situational analyses. These structures, once strengthened and functional, will also serve to share information on best practices among all ASRH stakeholders.

Youth Participation — AYA regularly includes young people's participation to inform program design and implementation. Youth will also be actively involved in monitoring program activities. AYA will establish a youth advisory committee to institute more comprehensive and effective youth participation in ASRH programming. The youth leaders identified for the committee will receive basic training in management to give them additional skills to participate meaningfully.

Sustainability — AYA works extensively with the Ghanaian government to maintain support for the project's programs. Similarly, AYA is partnering with several national NGOs to ensure continued support. However, as the private sector remains an untapped resource, AYA will explore private sector involvement to provide youth-friendly services and information.