To facilitate the effective implementation of an Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program, it is crucial to assess various aspects of the community, school, or other venues where the implementation will occur. Understanding the needs of the target population/s, any existing programs, and the specific concerns of the institutions and/or agencies involved, can help build a successful program that resonates with parents, schools, and other stakeholders.
1. Research rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the targeted community.
- Access local and/or state health departments for information. If data appear to be unavailable on local and/or state websites, the information should be available upon direct request.
- Review the Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey for state-by-state information.
- Identify and partner with other community agencies that may be able to share relevant data and information regarding high-risk behaviors among youth.
Why is this important?
Identifying teen pregnancy and STI rates can help you assess the greatest area of need and emphasis when providing curriculum instruction on optimal sexual health outcomes. This information can help you as you connect or network with parents, school administrators, and community stakeholders to illustrate why the knowledge and skills in your SRAE program are needed and can help ensure that risk-avoidance empowerment is offered to all teens in the targeted population.
2. Investigate what is currently used to teach sex education in area schools/youth programs.
- What is the quality, capacity, and scope of any existing programs?
- Are current programs meeting state requirements for sex education instruction?
- What other community partners are delivering SRAE or other sex education curricula?
Why is this important?
Examining any current programs can help you assess whether the existing approach is one that parents, schools, and community stakeholders have indicated they want in sex education. It can help identify any age groups that are not being reached that could benefit from instruction. Also, this can enable you to review educational dosage, age-appropriateness of content, and whether medically accurate and complete information is provided. This information can help inform how your program may be able to serve unmet needs or underserved populations. You may also be able to offer supplemental materials to close existing program gaps and ensure overall compliance with state standards.
3. Learn as much as possible about the students and community you wish to serve.
Interview school gatekeepers, including teachers, to discover broader school protocols. Conduct select focus groups (youth, parents, teachers, etc.) to discover parent engagement, interest, and attitudes regarding sex education instruction.
- Does the school permit outside presenters to provide sex education instruction?
- Is there an active parent group engaged in school/student activities?
- Are parents given the opportunity to examine curricula and meet with facilitators before instruction begins?
- What is the cultural and socioeconomic makeup of the students to be served? For example: poverty level, two-parent/one-parent household, ethnicity, graduation rate, etc.
Why is this important?
Understanding the school culture is very important to the successful integration of your SRAE program with the school’s educational goals toward positive youth development. Understanding the culture, values, and traditions of the community will increase overall program effectiveness and help SRAE facilitators resonate with students, parents, and school personnel.
4. Consider partnering with other youth-serving agencies in the community.
- Identify youth-serving and related agencies dedicated to supporting health and well-being in the community.
- Meet personally with agency directors to discover possible shared mission and goals.
- Become familiar with the services that community agencies offer to youth to promote optimal health outcomes.
Why is this important?
Building relationships with community partners who have similar goals can strengthen and reinforce the healthy decision-making skills you teach. They can provide necessary services for youth that may be out of your program’s capacity to provide. In addition, collaborative community partnerships build trust and good will for your program within the broader community.
More Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Implementation Tip Sheets:
Tip Sheet: How to Implement Effective SRAE Programming
Tip Sheet: Important Facts About SRAE
Tip Sheet: Creating a Healthy Organizational Culture to Support Your SRAE Program
Tip Sheet: Cost Considerations of Implementing an SRAE Program
Tip Sheet: Choosing an SRAE Curriculum
Tip Sheet: Sample Job Descriptions for SRAE Administrators and Presenters
Tip Sheet: How to Interview Candidates for the SRAE Presenter Role
Tip Sheet: Qualities of a Successful SRAE Presenter
Tip Sheet: Finding Effective SRAE Presenters
Tip Sheet: Training and Retaining SRAE Presenters
Tip Sheet: Enhancing Your Relationship with the SRAE Program Host
Tip Sheet: Getting Your SRAE Program into Schools
Mosack, M., Pike, T., & Stout, S. (2021). Implementing a Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program at the local level. Public Strategies.
This document was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (www.acf.hhs.gov), Family and Youth Services Bureau under a contract with Public Strategies, Contract No. 75P00119R00417.