Recent News
On the 8th September 2008 the KBPCP launched the Talking Realities…Young parenting ‘What’s life like now?...young dads share their experiences’ DVD. The DVD presents the real life experiences of 5 young fathers who share how their lives have changed since they became parents. The information provided is intended to raise awareness and assist young males in particular, to make informed choices regarding parenting and sexual health. It has been designed to complement the 'Talking realities...young parenting peer education project'. It is also recommended as an insightful educational tool to enhance a range of secondary school curricula areas. Its intended audience are young people aged 14-19 years. The DVD is now available for purchase at a cost of $45.00. For more information, please contact Michelle Spragg mspragg@cbchs.org.au or Kirsty Brown kbrown@cbchs.org.au
In March 2008 we were invited to submit to Round 3 of the Promising Practice Profiles (PPP) the purpose of which is to facilitate peer learning and sharing of experiences. The panel has upheld our claims that Talking Realities meets the aims of the National Agenda for Early Childhood and is consistent with the objectives of the Local Answers Program.
This is an exciting acknowledgment of the work we are all doing and a profile from our proposal will soon appear on the Federal Government’s, Australian Institute of Families Studies, Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia website.
Talking Realities ….young parenting is an innovative school based, peer education program developed in South Australia, which grew out of a desire by young mothers to pass onto other young people, information about what it’s really like to be a parent at a young age. For many young parents, it’s the information they would have liked to have known before they became a parent.
The presentation provides an important opportunity to challenge the stereotypical perceptions about why young women become pregnant. It is widely recognised that whilst programs in schools seek to improve young people’s knowledge of sexual health, pregnancy and birth issues, the important life issue of unplanned, early pregnancy has been largely neglected.
Talking Realities was purchased in late 2004 by the Kingston Bayside Primary Care Partnership with funds provided by School Focused Youth Services. Sustainability was greatly enhanced by a successful submission as part of a Federal Government ‘Stronger Families and Community Strategy” which saw funding of $188, 247 allocated over 3 years until June 2009.
Two community health centres have made significant contributions to the initial development and sustainability of this project, most particularly by providing substantial ‘in kind’ support through the provision of staff time and resources. Central Bayside Community Health Services has taken a leading role with the provision of funds for the appointment of a project coordinator, whilst two paid part-time peer leader positions provide leadership opportunities for peer educators wanting to extend their skills and experience. These peer leaders are mentored and supervised by the project coordinator.
A Talking Realities Steering committee was developed to support program development and build strong partnerships between local services. The committee has representation from a wide range of local community and educational organisations.
Talking Realities has 2 primary aims:
- to increase young people’s knowledge and understanding of early parenthood challenges and responsibilities.
- to increase young parents’ confidence, self esteem and parenting skills and re-engage them with training and employment opportunities.
Young parents commit to a comprehensive training program and graduate as peer educators whilst also receiving TAFE accreditation for some of the subjects studied. For many this reconnects them with education for the first time since they became parents. They can then choose to build on these subjects and enrol in a TAFE course, thereby improving their future employment and career prospects.
Peer education is increasingly being used as an innovative health promotion strategy. Students report being “so much more aware of the challenges involved in parenting at a young age” and how much they appreciate young parents sharing their real life experiences.
The aim of ‘Talking Realities-young parenting’ is to encourage students to think about what is involved in parenting; like sleepless nights, knowing how to manage when they or their baby are sick, the responsibility and that not all young parents have family support. Teenage parenting isn’t glamorised or presented in a negative light, but rather described realistically and honestly through the experiences of the presenters.
An extensive evaluation report collated in 2008, 'Talking Realities .....young parenting: A peer education program - An evaluation of three years of implementation in Victoria 2005 - 2008', demonstrates numerous benefits to all those associated with the program and provides clear evidence of its success.
Any enquires please contact
Andrea Wittick,
CHN and Program Coordinator
Tel: 97819333
awittick@cbchs.org.au
Kirsty Brown
PCP Health Promotion Coordinator
Tel: 8587 0314
kbrown@cbchs.org.au
Educators in action in the classroom
Class of 2007
Class of 2005
Peer Educator and student
Publicity launch 2006
