Tips for Implementation

Mr. Lurry worked with Danya project staff to develop the following tips for implementing the Stop, Think, Be Safe! project in a school-based setting:

• Build enthusiasm regarding the intervention before starting the project. The Stop, Think, Be Safe! project is a fun intervention for youth, but creating excitement about what is to come will help hold the students' attention. Talking about the activities in which the students will participate creates a sense of anticipation, increasing the chance that everyone will want to participate.
  
  
• Take some time before the intervention is implemented to review the activities and discussions in the facilitator's guide. Picking the right activities for your group is important to holding the students' attention.
  
  
• If the project facilitator is not the students' usual teacher, it will be helpful to speak with the teacher who has the most interaction with the class ahead of time to discuss the best way to deal with any behavioral issues with students, if they arise.
  
  
• Identify early who may have difficulty with the topic. Most young people will be very interested in the STD prevention topic, but the maturity level varies from youth to youth. Creating seating assignments can also be helpful in managing students identified with behavioral issues, as they can be extremely disruptive to the entire class if not addressed early.
  
  
• The students really like the role-playing activities, but younger students within the target-age range of 12-13 years old may have a little difficulty with creating a skit, due to limited experiences. For this to be a successful activity with the younger students, show a couple of scenes from the movie and then discuss talking with someone you care about regarding your feelings.
  
  
• Create a system for the students to ask the facilitator questions anonymously. After each session, have the students place their questions in a box. Respond to the questions from the previous session before starting the next activity. This provides the youth with a way to ask questions without being identified. Answering the question at the next session gives the facilitator an opportunity to research the answer.
  
  
• Provide an overview of the male/female reproductive system at the beginning of the intervention. Most students who participated in the Peer to Peer: Stop, Think, Be Safe! evaluation were unaware of their bodies and needed an overview.
  
  
• Youth like to receive indicators on how well they are learning the information being presented. Mr. Lurry added a spelling test and word unscramble as a fun way to determine if the students are retaining the information.