The following are some of the community initiatives that help Rochester youth reach their full potential and that prevent teen pregnancy:
City Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (known as “RISE”) is led by City of Rochester Bureau of Youth Services. The collaborative delivers evidence-based sexuality curriculum in high schools and community settings. SOAR Youth Leaders serve as peer educators, host youth events, create radio and video PSAs and work with other youth leadership groups. Member agencies include SPCC, MCTP, and the YWCA. NYS Dept. of Health provides the funding. Email RISE@cityofrochester.gov.
Supports for Youth Success is led by Metro Council for Teen Potential and is designed to complement other local teen pregnancy prevention programs. Two health educators deliver the Project AIM youth development curriculum to sixth graders and facilitate a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum with high school youth. A youth-led radio club, called Frequency, meets at Rochester Community TV and creates radio programs that explore topics relevant to youth. Funding is provided by the William and Sheila Konar Foundation and by the ESL Charitable Foundation. Contact Sheila Driscoll at driscoll.mctp@badenstreet.org
In-Control is a youth development and teen pregnancy prevention program, led by Planned Parenthood of Central and Western NY, with the support of Baden Street Settlement and MCTP, and funded by NYS Dept. of Health as part of the Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program. In-Control components include evidence-based sexuality education; youth-led music, drama and video production; recreation; peer leadership and parent programs. Contact: Stacey Richards at Stacey.Richards@ppcwny.org
URMC is the lead agency for the Rochester LARC Initiative, which informs Rochester youth about the availability and benefits of long-acting and reversible contraception. Partners, including MCTP, deliver evidence-based education both to youth and to adults who talk to youth in healthcare and community-based settings. Causewave leads a parallel effort to educate youth and parents about LARC via social media. Contact J. Quick @ jquick@badenstreet.org
Youth Voice One Vision, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, is coordinated by the City of Rochester’s Department of Recreation and Human Services. YVOV is dedicated to connecting, training, and advising Rochester’s youth leaders, city governance, adult advisors and community stakeholders. YVOV members provide expertise, and help inform and impact policies related to youth issues. The program creates opportunities that inspire positive change and unite our community. Contact Tremain Harris harrist@cityofrochester.gov; 585-428-6360.
Providing Real Opportunities With Dedication: PROWD is an educational program led by Action for a Better Community. The program engages youth, ages 10 to 13, in after school programming and supports youth to avoid sexually risky behaviors. The program teaches life skills, to both youth and caregivers, reduces risky behaviors, and provides youth opportunities in the arts. For more information, contact Victor Norflee, vnorflee@abcinfo.org.
SRAE Clubs: The Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Clubs (SRAE) is a youth development program led by City of Rochester to benefit Rochester youth, ages 10-13. The goal of the SRAE initiative is to support the social and emotional development of youth and to delay onset of sexual activity. The program provides medically accurate and age-appropriate curriculum, positive relationship with caring adults, and exploratory weekly club called Vibes. Facilitators engage youth participants in fun activities such as dance, cooking and nutrition, science exploration, and creative arts. All SRAE youth take part in “Making a Difference”, a curriculum that empowers young adolescents to change their behavior in ways that will reduce their risk of pregnancy and HIV/STD infection. Youth participants are supported to learn life skills including goal setting and decision making, to develop healthy relationships, to gain a sense of purpose and to delay sexual activity. For more information, contact 428-1291 or email RISE@cityofrochester.gov.
Health Education in Rochester City School District
Most schools in NYS, including schools in Rochester, provide a half-credit health class in middle school and a half-credit health class in high school; topics include sexuality/family life. The Rochester City School District uses the Making a Difference curriculum in middle school and Reducing the Risk curriculum in high school. RCSD also developed a sexuality curriculum for 4th, 5th and 6th grades, called WISE. RCSD routinely invites health educators from the programs listed above to present evidence-based and multi-session sexuality curricula to their students.
metrocouncilrochester.org 