What You Can Do in Your Community

By taking an active role in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), you can dramatically improve the health of your community. As you increase the awareness and knowledge of those around you, you will improve the health of yourself and others. There are a variety of ways you can contribute to your community.

• Be a role model;
• Get involved in peer counseling;
• Be a mentor for younger children;
• Start a newsletter;
• Organize community health events; and
• Volunteer at a local clinic.

Be a role model

Being a role model doesn't necessarily mean you need to be class president, a star at sports, or the best student in school. Being a role model can mean that you make informed decisions about your health—physical, mental, and sexual—and share your knowledge base with others.

If you choose not to have sex, explaining the reason for your decision with others may help them to make decisions that are best for them. If you choose to become sexually active, you can make good decisions about safer sexual practices and encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. Either way, sharing information and supporting people you care about while you set a good example make you a role model.

Get involved in peer counseling

If you want to take a more active role in the health of your community, you can join a peer counseling group or start one of your own. Peer counseling is important to young people. It gives them the chance to discuss important issues with individuals who may share or relate to their experiences. Peer counseling is an excellent way to increase awareness and knowledge about STDs while supporting your school or community.

Be a mentor for younger children

A lot of young children do not have good role models or people to whom they can look for advice and help with decision making. You can become a mentor for younger children. Relationships similar to those formed through the Big Brother and Big Sister programs have improved the personal achievement of many kids. As a mentor, you will be able to share your experiences and knowledge to increase the health and well-being of children within your community.

Start a newsletter

Newsletters are an excellent way to distribute information. Many young people are not comfortable talking about health or sexuality issues, but a newsletter can provide a way to give people information without the embarrassment of face-to-face discussion. A question-and-answer (Q&A) section of the paper could be dedicated to addressing the concerns of readers.

Organize community health events

Health promotion events can be a great way to raise awareness and educate your peers about STDs and sexual health. Organized events with dancing, music, health information booths, and speakers can be fun and educational. You can find space at your school or community centers to hold your events—this way, your peers have easy access to the information and events available. You may be able to get donations or raffle items from local clinics and hospitals, and town healthcare providers may want to volunteer their time to speak or do simple screenings.

Volunteer at a local clinic

Many towns and cities have clinics that diagnose and treat STDs at little or no cost. You may be able to volunteer your time to help with administrative services, reception, education and counseling, or other activities. To locate available health clinics in your area, you can search the Web or contact your State's public health department.