ST ANN, Jamaica— A new six-month initiative aimed at improving awareness of sexual and reproductive health issues among youth in St Ann is to be launched later this month, thanks to micro grant funding from the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS).

The micro grants represent a component of the 30-month intervention funded by the European Union (EU) to strengthen civil society organisations as actors of governance and development.

The project is being executed by the Jamaica Family Planning Association and will involve training, research, and advocacy to address critical health concerns of adolescents and youth in the parish.

The initiative will begin by equipping social work students from surrounding colleges, such as Brown’s Town Community College, with skills in conducting participatory research.

The students will then conduct research with adolescents and youth from local civil society groups to gather insights into the challenges faced in sexual reproductive health.

“Once we have these data, we will train young people from our partner agencies in advocacy techniques, including the use of social media, to amplify the issues identified through the research,” Dr Pauline Russell-Brown, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Jamaica Family Planning Association, explained.

“This advocacy will empower the community to engage with these challenges and push for policy changes to improve access to information and services for adolescents and youth,” she added.

The decision to focus on St Ann was influenced by concerning sexual and reproductive health indicators among young people in the parish. The current survey data indicate that there is a need for efforts to change the behaviour of adolescents and individuals in the adolescents’ environment to protect them from early unprotected sexual activity.

“While not the most severe nationally, the indicators for St Ann are significant. With our clinic and network of service providers in the parish, we felt it was important to focus on St Ann,” Dr Russell-Brown noted.

The project will target adolescents and youth 16-24 years old in St Ann. In the meantime, groundwork is being laid through consultations with colleges and civil society organisations, said Dr Russell-Brown.

Expected outcomes include raising awareness about sexual reproductive health issues and empowering young people to become vocal advocates for change.

“Young people need to have a voice in the process because these issues directly affect them,” Dr Russell-Brown emphasised.

Advocacy efforts will also include community dissemination of research findings to encourage wider engagement. The initiative’s holistic approach promises to mobilise community action and foster meaningful changes in how sexual reproductive health issues are addressed in St Ann and beyond.

Dr Russell-Brown commended the EU and CVSS for their timely support.

“Grants like these are critical because the issues persist, but resources to address them are often scarce. The EU and CVSS deserve recognition for prioritising these challenges and enabling this vital work,” she said.

Nancy Pinchas, executive director of the CVSS, said that youth are key actors of development and an integral part of the solution to promote peace and security.

“This programme aims to support young people to engage in the policy and decision-making processes on issues that affect them and their future,” she said.

The CVSS executive director further added that civil society is an important actor in promoting youth engagement and involving and/or representing youth and youth interests, including cultural activities, in key policy processes. She said the grant seeks to support youth organisations capacities and participation, as well as the capacities for youth inclusion as CSO partners at large, in gender-sensitive and responsive ways, taking into account the different barriers and obstacles for male and female youth. Five other grants were awarded under the initiative.