Youth development workers have a key role to play in delivering a holistic approach to health promotion. Youth and Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Skills course starts by defining youth in the context of health. It continues by looking at why it is important to involve young people in the planning and implementation of any program that targets them, and how to promote youth participation. You will also look closely at some of the contemporary health issues that affect young people, such as nutrition and diet, sexual and reproductive health and drug abuse. The course also looks at how to enable practitioners to recognize the different roles they have, and how to foster effective working relationships.
Course Outcomes
When you successfully complete this program, you should be able to:
- Identify the major health issues affecting young people.
- Outline health promotion strategies (particularly preventative strategies).
- Describe the specific role of youth development work in health promotion.
- Develop specific programs of health promotion.
- Use the distinctive methodology of youth development work within the environment of a primary health care agency.
Course Outlines
Defining Youth and Health
- Defining youth
- Defining health
- Primary health care
- Adolescent and youth developmental changes
- The basics of health and personal hygiene
Involving Young People
- Development
- Youth development and health services
- The role of young people in health
- Developing skills and information
- Factors affecting participation
Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Defining sexuality
- Defining reproductive health
- Reproductive rights
- Abortion
- Traditional practices
STDs and HIV/AIDS
- STDs
- HIV/AIDS
- HIV/AIDS and young people
- HIV/AIDS and gender
- Living positively with HIV/AIDS
- Strategies at the macro-level
Nutrition
- Malnutrition
- The World Health Organization (WHO) mandate
- World food supply
Mental Health and Drug Abuse
- What is mental health?
- Self-abuse and deviant behavior
- What is drug abuse?
- Demographics and drug use
- Prevention and support
- Self-abuse through injury and suicide
