Auntie Stella: Teenagers Talk about Sex, Life, and Relationships

‘Auntie Stella’ uses a series of 42 letters, each written in the style of a missive to a newspaper agony aunt. Letters are accompanied by a reply from Auntie Stella, questions for small-group discussion, and back-up material for teachers and/or facilitators. Topics covered include: physical and emotional changes in adolescence, relationships with parents, peers and members of the opposite sex, social and economic pressures to have sex, gender roles, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV and AIDS, male circumcision, concurrent relationships, and updated information on HIV prevention, antiretroviral (ARV) adherence, etc. The cards have a particular focus on vulnerable youth, emphasising the importance of building social networks and working to create a more supportive and youth-friendly social environment.

The methodology underlying ‘Auntie Stella’ is based on a combination of behaviour change and participatory methodologies. Youth work on their own in small mixed-gender groups. The basic method is for a letter to be read and the problem discussed through guided questions called Talking Points. Users then turn to Auntie Stella’s reply. This is followed by two to five activities - called Action Points - that assist the youth in moving beyond the particular story under discussion to exploring how that issue affects their lives and what they can do about it. These activities - which include role-plays and drama, quizzes, research projects, and creating songs, stories, maps, and diagrams - have been carefully designed to encourage critical thinking and reflection.

The content of the letters, as well as the format and methodology used, were based on research with secondary school students, and reflect their real experiences, needs, and problems. The pack consists of 42 laminated, colour-coded question and answer cards, an introduction leaflet, a teacher’s guide, a glossary of difficult terms, and a guide to organisations in Zimbabwe who can offer help. Each question and answer activity card takes about 30 - 45 minutes to complete.

The Facilitators Guide gives additional ideas on how to use the cards, including theme sessions in which youth can work on a particular set of cards covering an identified theme (such as love and sex, forced sex, living with HIV and AIDS, changing attitudes, building partnerships, etc.) The cards are, according to TARSC, consciously constructed to encourage young people to assess their risks and weigh up options, while also increasing their confidence and ability to communicate and negotiate, plan and strategise. The focus is on the individual, but in the context of their community where collective action to effect social change is seen as a crucial factor in ensuring that youth needs are realised.

Users can also talk more widely about the letters/questions, and present their own problems and concerns, either in their groups or online, by using the online bulletin board. The emphasis is on creating an informal and non-judgmental atmosphere where students can focus on their own experiences, knowledge, and needs.

According to the organisers, the material has been widely used in: schools in Zimbabwe, as well as with out-of-school youth; AIDS support organisations; youth centres; sports clubs; child abuse support centres; family planning centres; and church and debating clubs, and is now being disseminated to neighbouring countries. TARSC now (2009) works with partners in a number of countries in the eastern and southern African regions on use of AS. The pack has been adapted and translated into Swahili, Portuguese, Chichewa, Shona, and Ndebele, available through contacting TARSC. In addition, TARSC is facilitating an e-list under the name ASPartners and invites those interested in joining to contact them.

Youth, Reproductive Health, HIV AIDS, Gender, Health.

The AS resource was revised extensively in 2005. The print version of Auntie Stella was produced by the Training and Research Support Centre (TARSC) in 1997 after extensive work with over 200 school-going youth in Zimbabwe. TARSC is a Zimbabwean non-profit organisation which provides training, research, and support services for non-governmental and civic bodies. Using participatory approaches throughout, TARSC developed an activity pack whose content and format reflects the views and experiences of young people.

The electronic version was produced with assistance from World Links Organization. World Links, a jointly sponsored programme between the World Links Organization and World Bank's World Links for Development Programme (WorLD) provides and promotes access to and training in information and communication technology (ICT) in the service of education in developing countries.