YWU Online

Campaign for Responsible Sexuality Education and Youth Health Access
Circle of Strength’s (COS) efforts along with coalition members, have had tremendous impact on the state of New Mexico policies in the areas of health and sexuality education. The young women of Circle of Strength continue to use innovative strategies to keep sexuality education at the forefront of discussions around youth health, educational attainment (drop out rates), youth development and youth success. We continue to push awareness of the links between youth health and youth education. (Nicholas Freudenberg, 2007) We continue to bring a reproductive justice frame and young (teen) woman of color voice, whom are the most impacted, but extremely under-represented in problem solving regarding these issues. COS continues to remain a key player in the implementation of the State Standards and Benchmarks for Albuquerque Public School and with APS decision makers.

Youth Health!
The teen women of Circle of Strength (COS) have been moving forward with community research for their Youth Health Access Campaign. A continuation in their struggle for implementation of Responsible Sexuality Education Policies, COS is researching on how, when, and where youth access health care in Albuquerque. Because several of them had very different experiences in trying to access information and services on their sexual health, they decided to do some research and find out first hand; what are youth being told, how accurate is the information they are given, what are their rights as youth, and most importantly, where are the best places to access confidential, accurate and affordable information and services for their sexual health.

Research
COS has ran two visits so far, on the first attempt, none of the seven young women were able to access services at the two separate clinics, because the clinics only took patients until four o’clock. The young women get out of school at three, and after gathering and figuring out transportation, they got to the clinic too late to be seen. Since summer break they have been able to make successful visits to two public health care clinics. They will be making visits once a month to: public health, school based health and free health care centers in the city. COS will use the research to inform their peers on how to access quality care as well as give them a heads up on what they can expect when they visit. In addition they will use the data collected to asses youth needs and make decisions about the future direction in their campaign and the upcoming 2011 legislative session.

Join COS’s efforts to make sure Responsible Sexuality Education is taught in APS schools email, contact Denicia Cadena at dcadena@youngwomenunited.org.