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IN FOCUS: ARTICLE |
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Pregnancy Prevention: It Takes Two!
by Tamekia Reece, 05.17.05
"It's critically important for people to realize pregnancy prevention isn't just a female's responsibility." |
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During Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, it's common to see magazine articles and Web sites telling girls how important it is to prevent pregnancy. And it is important. But don't guys play a role in pregnancy prevention? Of course they do! And one program is telling them how to get wise about it.
Taking Responsibility
Started in 1990 by the Family Life Council, a nonprofit agency in Guilford county, NC, Wise Guys is an award-winning teen pregnancy prevention program for guys ages 11-17.
More than 800,000 teen pregnancies occur in the United States each year. And Wise Guys director Rick Brown believes educating guys about pregnancy prevention is key in making that number go down. "It's critically important for people to realize pregnancy prevention isn't just a female's responsibility," he says. But that doesn't mean the program is about blaming. "We don't approach them as the bad guys or the ones responsible for the problem," Brown says. "We approach them as guys who can be part of the solution."
In 2003, Planned Parenthood affiliates created their own Wise Guys programs using the Family Council's curriculum. And with more than 1,250 Guilford county participants last year, and more than 250 communities in 40 states using the program, Wise Guys programs are doing their part to make pregnancy prevention a two-way street.
What's a Wise Guy?
According to Brown, a Wise Guy has a positive self-image, clear personal values, an understanding of sexuality, and good decision-making skills. To help guys achieve this, Wise Guys holds sessions in community centers, boys' clubs, group homes, and public, private, and alternative schools. Young men meet once a week for 8-12 sessions and discuss with skilled educators issues like self-esteem, dating violence, communication, abstinence, masculinity, and more. There's even a bilingual version, Jovenes Sabios, for Spanish-speaking teens.
While Wise Guys presents abstinence as a means of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, it also includes comprehensive information on birth control. "They taught me about the various methods, how they work, and how effective they are," says Austin, a 16-year-old Wise Guy. "It's best to wait to have sex, but if you're going to do it, make sure you're protected." This goes right along with the Wise Guys philosophy that guys can make the best decisions when they know all the facts.
Teaming Up
Because the Family Life Council knows guys 11-17 aren't the only ones who need prevention advice, it offers Wise Guys: The Next Level. Geared toward guys 18 and older, The Next Level is a multi-session program that focuses on relationship issues, sexuality, fatherhood, and life choices.
Wise Guys also offers programs for teen parents, and it often teams up with the Guilford County Department of Public Health's Smart Girls program to help girls sharpen their pregnancy prevention skills. Parents of teens are also a key part of pregnancy prevention, so Wise Guys offers parents a class called "Talking with Adolescents about Sexuality".
Wise Guys knows that teen pregnancy prevention is everyone's job — girls, guys, and parents. For more information about Wise Guys — including how you can bring the program to your school or community — check out its Web site. |
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