C. Resources

Community resources can offer support, personalized intervention and choices. Learners may not know how to access resources even if they know about them, or may not know how resources can help them. Try to refer learners to local community resources with a safer sex counsellor.

1. Guided discussion

* Ask learners where people can get help or learn more about sexually transmitted diseases (either treatment or prevention).

* Think about a particular resource, for example, an STD hotline, and answer the following questions about it:

  • What does it do? (Gives information, helps locate local resources.)
  • Who is this resource for?
  • What kinds of questions might people ask when they use it?
  • What would it be like to use this resource?
  • Do people always get answers to their questions on their first call?
  • Why might it take a few calls to find someone they trust?

2. Make and use a resource list

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Expanding and updating this resource book can be an ongoing activity.

800 numbers are important resources where confidentiality is an issue or local resources are scarce. (See Resources.)

You might make this book available to men in your class, and list resources for abused women in a separate place. Learners might want to make a printed version of the resources they find.


* Begin an annotated community resource book using a binder, with separate pages for support groups, health, medical help, affordable leisure activities, etc.

* Begin your list with the hotline and other resources the group knows.

* Invite learners to expand the list by calling one resource to locate other resources, or by looking up AIDS in the yellow pages.

* Later, they might make a subject index and an alphabetical index of resources.

* Learners can use their resource list to:

  • explore the services offered by a resource or to research a topic of interest;
  • evaluate the resource: what did they like, what could the resource do better, would they recommend this resource to others?
  • write a research report, saying what they did or what they learned.

D. Safer Sex Information

1. Guided discussion

* Remind the group that sexual choices are personal; some things that some people do in sex are against other people's religious or moral values. Ask people to be tolerant so that others may feel comfortable about doing something they don't. Reassure learners that they will not be asked to speak about their personal choices. If they choose to do so, ask them to express their beliefs without criticizing others who may be present or absent.

* Discuss the ways HIV has changed everyone. Some questions to consider:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I learned this approach from Ann Paquet.
  • In different cultures, how do people date and what is dating?
  • What is the impact of HIV on sexual behavior in your culture?

* Review what people know about safer sex:

  • Where did they learn about safer sex?
  • What is important to know about safer sex?
  • Is safer sex the same for everyone? Or do people make personal choices about safer sex?
  • How do people choose what kind of safer sex is right for them? (Get information, think about risks, get comfortable with. the information they want to use.)

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