PRESS RELEASE
November 22, 2006

Youth Counseling Center Opened With American Assistance

Youth counseling center established within the Bečej Health Center was opened today at 11 a.m. The opening was attended by Matthew Bechtel, F&A Director for the CRDA-E program in Vojvodina and Eastern Serbia, representatives of municipal authorities, Health Center and local schools. The project of establishing the Youth Counseling Center is implemented within the “Community Revitalization through Democratic Action – Economy” (CRDA-E) program. The CRDA-E program is funded by the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Lack of adequate information and services related to reproductive health available to youth, need to increase youth knowledge and responsibility, as well as the fact that sexuality of adolescents is still a taboo in our society all contributed to initiative for establishing new and supporting work of the existing youth counseling centers in municipalities where CRDA-E is being implemented. The project of establishing youth counseling centers included trainings for teachers, medical professionals and secondary school students, future peer educators. The education was implemented in accordance with the curriculum developed by the Republic Family Planning Center within the Mother and Child Institute from Belgrade. In addition, counseling centers were equipped with new furniture, medical and IT equipment, and provided with educational and promotional materials.

Youth counseling centers are places where adolescents can get answers to all the questions related to reproductive health and family planning. Also, one of the main roles of the counseling center is peer education. It is estimated that adolescents feel most comfortable when discussing reproductive health and family planning issues with their peers or they look for information in teenage magazines. These sources are often not reliable, and the information is incomplete or inaccurate. This is why peer educators serve as a mechanism for sharing with their peers complete and accurate information on family planning and reproductive health. At the same time, peer educators are the best promoters of youth counseling centers. Besides training provided to adolescents, the full success of educational program can be achieved only if there is a link between three key stakeholders: medical professionals, teachers and parents.

USAID invested over $11,000 in establishing and equipping of youth counseling center in Bečej, education for medical professionals and teachers, training of peer educators, and printing of educational and promotional materials. Bečej Health Center provided matching funds for renovating the premises.

Media representatives are invited to attend the official opening of the youth counseling center which will take place on Wednesday, November 22 at 11a.m. in the Bečej Health Center.

“Community Revitalization through Democratic Action – Economy” (CRDA-E) program is funded by the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In Vojvodina and 12 Eastern Serbia municipalities, the CRDA-E program is being implemented by the America’s Development Foundation (ADF).

For additional information about the CRDA-E program and its activities related to family planning and reproductive health, please contact Jelena Burgić or Branislava Rajković at 021/ 522 277 or by e-mail at jelena@adf.org.yu and brana@adf.org.yu.

SAOPŠTENJE ZA JAVNOST
22. novembar 2006.

OTVORENO SAVETOVALIŠTE ZA MLADE ZAHVALJUJUĆI AMERIČKOJ POMOĆI

Savetovalište za mlade koje je osnovano pri Domu zdravlja Bečej svečano je otvoreno danas u 11h. Otvaranju savetovališta je prisustvovao gospodin Metju Behtel, Direktor finansija i adminitrsacije za CRDA-E program u Vojvodini i istočnoj Srniji, predstavnici opštinskih vlasti, Doma zdravlja i lokalnih škola. Projekat osnivanja savetovališta realizovan je u okviru programa „revitalizacija zajednica demokratskim delovanjem – ekonomija“ (CRDA-E) kojeg finansira narod Amerike u saradnji sa Američkom agencijom za međunarodni razvoj (USAID).

Nedostatak informacija o reproduktivnom zdravlju, odgovarajućih zdravstvenih ustanova za mlade, potreba da se podigne nivo znanja i odgovornosti kod mladih, kao i činjenica da je seksualnost adolescenata još uvek tabu tema u našoj sredini podstakli su rad na osnivanju novih i poboljšanju postojećih savetovališta za mlade u opštinama u kojima se sprovodi CRDA-E program. U okviru projekta osnivanja savetovališta za mlade je organizovana edukacija zdravstvenih i prosvetnih radnika i srednjoškolaca, budućih vršnjačkih edukatora. Celokupna edukacija je realizovana u skladu sa programom „Sačuvajmo zdravlje“ Republičkog centra za planiranje porodice pri Institutu za majku i dete iz Beograda. Pored toga, savetovalište je takođe opremljeno i novim nameštajem, medicinskom i kompjuterskom opremom, a takođe je obezbeđen i edukativni i promotivni materijal.

Mladi u savetovalištu mogu dobiti sve informacije koje se tiču reproduktivnog zdravlja i planiranja porodice. Takođe, jedna od primarnih uloga savetovališta biće i sprovođenje vršnjačke edukacije. Procena je da se adolescenti najlakše opredeljuju za razgovor sa svojim vršnjacima ili informacije traže u tinejdžerskim časopisima. Često su ovakvi izvori informacija nepouzdani, informacije su polovične ili netačne. Upravo iz tog razloga, vršnjački edukatori imaju ulogu da među svojim vršnjacima šire informacije koje su stekli u oblasti planiranja porodice i reproduktivnog zdravlja, a istovremeno su i najbolji promoteri savetovališta. Pored obuke adolescenata, potpuni uspeh programa edukacije je moguć samo ukoliko postoji sprega tri ključna činioca: zdravstvenih radnika, prosvetnih radnika i roditelja.

U osnivanje i opremanje savetovališta za mlade u Bečeju, stručno usavršavanje zdravstvenih i prosvetnih radnika, obuku vršnjačkih edukatora i pripremu edukativnih i promotivnih materijala uloženo je više od 11.000 dolara sredstava USAID-a. Dom zdravlja Bečej je za osnivanje savetovališta obezbedio učešće u vidu renoviranja prostora.

Pozivamo predstavnike medija da prisustvuju svečanom otvaranju savetovališta za mlade koje će se održati u sredu 22. novembra u 11h u prostorijama Školskog dispanzera Doma zdravlja Bečej.

Program „Revitalizacija zajednica demokratskim delovanjem-ekonomija“ (CRDA-E) finansira narod Amerike u saradnji sa Američkom agencijom za međunarodni razvoj (USAID) a u Vojvodini i 12 opština istočne Srbije ga sprovodi America’s Development Foundation (ADF).

Za sve dodatne informacije o CRDA-E programu i aktivnostima u oblasti planiranja porodice i reproduktivnog zdravlja, možete kontaktirati Jelenu Burgić ili Branislavu Rajković na 021/ 522 277 ili e-mailom na jelena@adf.org.yu i brana@adf.org.yu.

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