Crisis Pregnancy Agency launches ‘real deal’ peer education project evaluation

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency today officially launched the evaluation of the ‘Real Deal’ peer education project. The ‘Real Deal’ was a sexual health and personal development programme that was researched and designed by ten peer educators who were themselves one time teenage mothers.

The programme was delivered, with the support of project coordinators and relevant health professionals, by six of the peer educators to 45 female teenagers. The pilot was run at two community training centres and two Youthreach centres in counties Kildare and Dublin. Following training, the peer educators shared their experiences as young mothers and also offered education on topics such as self-esteem, sex education, contraception, STIs and goal setting. The evaluation found that the training programme was very well received by the participants and that it provided an opportunity both for the peer educators and the participants to improve their knowledge of sexual health and relationships in an innovative manner.

The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships (ISSHR, 2006) identified those with lower educational attainment as a group at risk of experiencing crisis pregnancy, as the research found that they were less likely to have used contraception at most recent sexual intercourse and more likely to have had sex before 17, the age of sexual consent.

The ‘Real Deal’ was one of a number of pilot projects which was awarded funding under the Crisis Pregnancy Agency’s nationally advertised 2007 Funding Call, and addresses the CPA’s first mandate, which is a reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services.

Speaking today, Caroline Spillane, Director of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency said: “The ‘Real Deal’ peer educators are to be commended for not only highlighting the challenges of teen parenthood, but also for empowering participants to have the confidence and skills to make informed choices about their sexual health. Parenthood poses a challenge for all parents, irrespective of age, and it’s important that teenage parents are aware of the supports that are available to them. It’s vital that supportive environments such as this are replicated across the country, to equip young people with the information they need while ensuring that the reality of teen parenthood is accurately portrayed but not stigmatised.”

Anne Fitzpatrick, Programme Manager of the Newbridge ‘Real Deal’ project added: “Peer education is at the heart of this project, and its success depended on the ability of the peer educators to convey the reality of teen pregnancy and teen motherhood, and impress upon other young teenagers the life changing impact that engaging in unprotected sex at such a young age can have. As a society, we need to curtail the sending out of mixed signals to the next generation, particularly in the media. It is imperative that the possible risks attached to engaging in unprotected sex during your teenage years are relayed to young teenagers.”

The Teen Parents Support Programme is funded by the HSE and available at 11 locations nationwide. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency works with a number of service providers delivering personal development and sex education programmes to young people in a range of settings including Youthreach.

Ends

For more information contact:

Lorna Farren
Programmes & Communications Officer
Crisis Pregnancy Agency
01-8146292
087-6289831

Editor’s Notes

1. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) was established in 2001 and is mandated to provide for:
A) A reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services
B) A reduction in the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and support which make other options more attractive
C) The provision of counselling services, medical services and other health services for the purpose of providing support, after crisis pregnancy, as may be deemed appropriate by the Agency

2. Support for Teen Parents
For further information on the Teen Parents Support Programme, please contact TPSP at (01) 670 0167