BFLA’s Youth Programme

GOAL: To create spaces and opportunities for all youth to enjoy meaningful sexual and reproductive lives free of exploitation, coercion, stigmatization and discrimination, and where their rights are respected.

This is being done in an effort to address reproductive health challenges, including unfriendly policies, affecting the lives of youth in Belize. BFLA will Continue to empower as many youth as possible to advocate for their rights and to be responsible decision makers where their sexual and reproductive lives are concern.

There is ongoing engagement of youth in the design and management of the programme, this approach allows for greater ownership and acceptance of the programme.

Components of BFLA’s Youth Programme: YAM, Peer Educators & BCC Educators working with Sexually Diverse youths. Focus on clinical & non clinical services.

Clinical services: Provides youth friendly Sexual & Reproductive health services including family planning & options counseling for unplanned pregnancies.( List some services, pregnancy test, STI screening, condoms birth control etc)

Non-clinical services: Safe spaces for youth to hang out, play games, free internet for surfing or doing school projects etc, guidance counselors, sexual & reproductive health & life skills programs where youths learn how to build their self esteem, about HIV, Birth control, Sexually Transmitted Infections, relationships, their bodies etc.

The Peer Education Programme: Implemented in Secondary schools & BFLA supports Peer Education programmes in 8 high schools in, Dangriga, Belize, Orange Walk & Corozal Districts.

Support provided to schools: financial support, training in life skills regarding sexual & reproductive health, supports one major in-school activity planned and carried out by peer educators and access to FREE Sexual & reproductive health services for students.

Working with Most At Risk Populations which includes Sexually Diverse Youths.

BFLA carries out Behavior Change Communication (BCC) activities, provides access to FREE or Subsidized Sexual & Reproductive Health services & Counseling support . BFLA does this by creating opportunities for young persons to become trained educators in Sexual & Reproductive Health and go out into different communities and share this information with other youths. They do this through group activities or face to face activities. This program also serves as means of income generation for the youth educator.