Articles about Young People

The IPPF ACRO Youth Network has successfully concluded the “Rays” class of Creadoras Camp, a virtual content creation bootcamp that empowered young leaders across Latin America and the Caribbean with the skills and knowledge to transform their digital activism. Developed in collaboration with Volcánicas, a Latin American feminist media outlet, and Fundación Hoja Blanca ONG, this camp equipped participants to craft impactful, rights-affirming social media content that counters anti-rights narratives with inspiring, inclusive messages.  Over the past two months, 31 participants from Antigua & Barbuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru engaged in dynamic workshops led by expert content creators and activists. Through sessions on podcast production, visual storytelling, and digital communication strategies, they explored key concepts of online advocacy and honed their ability to design, record, and produce high-quality digital content tailored to youth audiences.  The participants’ growth was remarkable, as they not only developed technical skills but also deepened their understanding of using digital platforms to advance reproductive justice and progressive social change. This program exemplified the power of collective learning, providing young advocates with the confidence and tools to amplify their voices in meaningful ways.  Following the camp, 15 standout participants will be selected for an advanced mentorship program in podcast production. This series will spotlight youth perspectives across the region, sharing experiences and insights to challenge prejudice and drive narrative change around reproductive rights and social justice.  The Rays class of Creadoras Camp stands as a testament to the transformative power of youth-led initiatives. By investing in this innovative training, IPPF ACRO has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering inclusive activism and enabling the next generation of changemakers to shape a future rooted in equity, feminism, and reproductive rights. 

The IPPF ACRO Youth Network has officially launched the “Rays” class of “Creadoras Camp,” a virtual content creation camp designed to equip young leaders across Latin America and the Caribbean with the conceptual and practical tools they need to elevate their digital activism. Creadoras Camp, an original methodology created by Volcánicas, a latinamerican feminist media outlet, and Fundación Hoja Blanca ONG, offers participants the skills to create impactful social media content that defends sexual and reproductive rights, countering anti-rights narratives with inspiring, inclusive messages. The Rays Class is an IPPF ACRO Youth-Network Exclusive, as it reflects the demands of the youth network for dedicated training to amplify their voices and engage others in championing progressive social change. From October to November 2024, participants will join dynamic virtual workshops led by expert content creators and activists. Guided by specialized facilitators, they’ll dive into podcast production, visual content creation, and digital communication strategies, alongside key concepts for online advocacy. Through these sessions, participants will learn to design, record, and produce high-quality digital content, equipping them to effectively communicate messages that resonate with diverse youth audiences. Creadoras Camp will welcome 31 young participants affiliated with IPPF ACRO’s membership and partners from Antigua & Barbuda, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, México, Paraguay, and Perú. Following this first stage, the 15 most promising profiles will be selected for a mentorship program in podcast production. This podcast series will give voice to the region's youth as they share insights and experiences around reproductive justice and progressive social advocacy. This project is a vital platform for narrative change, enabling youth voices to challenge prejudice and promote a more inclusive discourse in the region. Supported by IPPF ACRO and partnerships with initiatives like Volcánicas, the Rays class of Creadoras Camp is a unique opportunity for young creators to deepen their impact and contribute meaningfully to advancing feminism and reproductive rights. 

Keriann Hurley has worked at the Barbados Family Planning Association (BFPA) for 15 years. She is a social worker and the Manager of Youth Programming, but art is another passion of hers.  A link between art and social work may not seem evident but Keriann explains that combining her passions “helps to fuel the type of interventions I do with the clients.” Keriann is proud that “here at BFPA, our niche and the thing that we do amazingly well, above anyone else I dare say, is how we deal with Sexual and Reproductive Health issues, but that’s not all we do”. “Sexuality and sexual health is only one aspect of your existence”, she says. She is clear that BFPA’s services must consider gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, mental health, family circumstances and relationships in its service delivery if it is to truly serve the community. There is a real need to provide unhindered access to young people who require services In Barbados, the age of consent is 16 but “there is still the issue of the age of access versus the age of consent.” Keriann explained that there’s no legal framework that prevents young people between 16 and 18 from accessing SRH services; there is the cultural “assumption that they must bring parent/guardian to be seen by a medical professional.” “A young person isn’t just going to show up at a doctor’s office because they think it’s the cool thing to do. There must be a dire reason”, Keriann says, and she adds that many young people do not access services because they fear judgement and punishment. “At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone” A key task of the BFPA is to facilitate young people’s access to SRH services. BFPA established legally compliant protocols which govern their engagement with young people. Social Workers like Keriann comprehensively assess the personal circumstances of each young person to ensure that they are provided with the appropriate care. “Not every young person has a parent or guardian who will come with them, but should they be turned away if they have a dire need? No, it’s unethical to do that. At BFPA, we don’t turn away anyone”, she says. Sometimes a young person does have an available parent or guardian but fears their reaction to their desire to access SRH services. In these situations, she acts as a mediator to facilitate conversation between the young person and their caretaker. With the years passing, it became clear to Keriann that the challenge is “dealing with age-old issues in new ways. There is nothing new under the sun. However, issues do come back around in new ways”. The significance of certain issues changes with the times. “Just look at social media!” she says, “it also means that information, and misinformation, is easily accessible.” Keriann has seen a shift in societal attitudes towards SRH over the last 5 years. A plus side of the internet, she says, is that the accessibility of information means that society cannot “bury its head in the sand and pretend that young people aren’t sexually exploring.” “The Young Mothers Programme is my baby” In 2011, Keriann started this 10-year programme. The majority of Barbadian households are female-headed and she recognises that empowering young mothers will have a powerful positive impact on society. “These girls come with heavy issues,” Keriann says. Beneficiaries are taught not just parenting skills but life skills. They have access to intensive psychosocial counselling for themselves, partners and family members and vocational training. The Young Mothers Programme has transitioned to online delivery which poses such as lack of devices, electricity or a conducive household environment, and unreliability or absence of internet access. “Suddenly there was a new normal before we could even figure out what that meant”, Keriann says. Online delivery is more tiring, and she admits the difficulty in balancing delivery of a quality programme without an unsustainable psychological cost to herself but is adamant that “it is better to have a meaningful impact on 10 people than surface level engagement with 100”. Keriann believes that “the wealth and health of a society is based on how we take care of the most vulnerable. Working in an organisation whose focus is primarily the most vulnerable is really rewarding”. Keriann shares that social work is one of least financially viable careers in Barbados. “Many months we just try to get by, but the work is really rewarding!” she laughed, “We are here grinding on and doing what we have to do to make sure that we provide quality services to the most vulnerable in our community and not leaving anyone behind”

Candice Taylor, 18, joined the Jamaica Family Planning Association (JFPA) Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) at age 15 after youth officer Fiona Francis introduced her to the group. Initially, Taylor saw YAM as the only place where she could learn about sexual and reproductive health and rights. Today, Taylor uses her knowledge and involvement with YAM to educate her peers about SRHR with hopes that they make more informed choices if they choose to engage in sex. “I’ve seen teenagers get pregnant and it’s based off them never knowing routes they could take to prevent pregnancies. I figured I could play a role by learning it for myself, applying it to myself as well as talk to those around me to somewhat enlighten them about SRHR. I just wanted to be able to learn for myself and pass on the knowledge,” she said. Taylor’s experience with YAM made her realize that  SRHR is not limited to sex, but also about being empowered to make positive changes towards their health and wellbeing. Taylor wanted to be a voice for others and contribute to positive change. “Seeing young girls divert to wanting more and because their parents were not able to provide, they turn to men. Also, I saw undue pressure being placed on girls to not have sex and that pressure, unfortunately, caused them to develop creative ways to go out and it so ends up that were left with an unwanted pregnancy. I was learning not only for myself, but to spread the word.  I learned I needed to immerse myself in order to be an effective advocate,” she said. Taylor has been to health fairs, spoken to her peers and adults about their sexual and reproductive health. The impact has been great. “In my circle, I’ve seen people become more aware and more careful. In my teaching, my friends are inspired to join so I am looking to recruit soon,” she said. Other positive elements of her involvement in YAM include the opportunities she has received which include holiday jobs and being part of official training courses on sexual and reproductive health and rights. However, she has faced challenges especially around a lack of contraceptive use among her peers. Putting the open-mindedness into action “You can only educate someone, but you can’t force them to do what you’re promoting. You will have different people asking and you explain to them and show them different ways to approach stuff and they will outright be like ‘OK, I am still going to do my thing. This is how I am used to my thing’. So, they accept the information, but are they practicing the information? People are open minded, but it’s just for them to put the open mindedness into action,” Taylor explained. In addition, Taylor said there are parents who are not open to discussing sexual and reproductive health with their children making it more challenging for young people to access contraception. She suggests that parents either be involved in the advocacy or interventions that target them be implemented. Taylor also expressed a desire to see more detailed classes around sexual and reproductive healthcare in schools. “Implement classes in school that are more detailed than what exists. The current lessons are basic and the most you’ll learn is the menstrual cycle. You’re learning enough to do your exam, not apply to real life. If this is in schools, the doctors and clinics may be more open to the reality that younger people are engaging in sex. To prevent unplanned pregnancies be more open,” Taylor said. She added: “YAM has good intentions. These good intentions are definitely beneficial to the target audience. With more empowerment in the initiative we can move forward and complete the goal on a larger scale.”