BENEFITS OF OUR COURSES

Benefits include:

• Shatters myths and taboos about sexuality
• Parents become more approachable
• Eliminates the anxiety of having "The Talk" with your child
• Provides a safe and non-threatening forum for discussing difficult issues
• Helps children understand that their fears and concerns are shared by others
• Answers questions in an honest, non-judgmental manner
• Our courses promote healthy self esteem and body image
• Focus on abstinence through the development of critical thinking skills
• Our courses prepare tweens and teens to make better choices in the future
• By encouraging family communication, the chances of early sexual behavior are decreased
• Promotes open communication by strengthening the bond between tween/teen and parent

OUR COURSES DO HELP

The Rites of Passage courses satisfy all of the criteria set down in The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy's study, "Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy."

According to this study, the curricula of the most effective sex and HIV education programs share ten common characteristics.

1. Focus on reducing one or more sexual behaviors that lead to unintended pregnancy or HIV/STD infection.
2. Are based on theoretical approaches that have been demonstrated to influence other health-related behavior and identify specific important sexual antecedents to be targeted.
3. Deliver and consistently reinforce a clear message about abstaining from sexual activity and/or using condoms or other forms of contraception. This appears to be one of the most important characteristics that distinguishes effective from ineffective programs.
4. Provide basic, accurate information about the risks of teen sexual activity and about ways to avoid intercourse or use methods of protection against pregnancy and STDs.
5. Include activities that address social pressures that influence sexual behavior.
6. Provide examples of and practice with communication, negotiation, and refusal skills.
7. Employ teaching methods designed to involve participants and have them personalize the information.
8. Incorporate behavioral goals, teaching methods, and materials that are appropriate to the age, sexual experience, and culture of the students.
9. Last a sufficient length of time (i.e., more than a few hours).
10. Select teachers or peer leaders who believe in the program and then provide them with adequate training.