1. Over a three to five year period, using the age appropriate iThembaLethu life skills curriculum, build the knowledge base of young adolescents. This includes:
1.1 Increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge regarding transmission, prevention and myths.
1.2 Facilitating an understanding of sexuality, and highlighting negative effects of early sexual debut.
1.3 Facilitating an appreciation of gender differences and a sense of gender equity.
1.4 Developing an understanding of how choices made now, can significantly impact on future realities.
2. Through trained youth workers, provide healthy role models in and outside of the classroom, and impart hope, significance and destiny to the future generation by:
2.1 Providing additional support and guidance to individual learners in times of need.
2.2 Offering counselling in terms of sensitive issues and situations.
2.3 Providing information on how to access resources in times of difficulty.
2.4 Facilitating youth and holiday clubs.
2.5 Developing and instilling a positive orientation to the future and its possibilities.
3. Provide psycho-social and pastoral support by equipping, strengthening and mobilising existing family structures within the community. Additionally creating a positive, enabling environment for change by:
3.1 Facilitating parental / caregiver support workshops.
3.2 Offering emotional and practical support, and counselling to caregivers and parents.
3.3 Facilitating a supportive home environment.
4. Instil a respect and deep value for themselves and others, and an appreciation of different kinds of people, without prejudice. Including:
4.1 Developing personal characteristics such as self-confidence, a positive attitude and personal competence.
4.2 Recognising the value of other people and understanding how to interact with one another other in a healthy and compassionate way.
4.3 Facilitating a discovery process of who they are, where they’ve come from, and where they hope to be going in terms of relationships, sexuality, and character.
5. Facilitate a reduction in risk taking behaviour, enhance health seeking behaviour, and reduce vulnerability to sexual abuse, violence, and the risk of HIV infection. This includes:
5.1 Empowering learners to make wise, assertive and responsible decisions.
5.2 Enhancing learner’s awareness of situations that may increase their vulnerability.
5.3 Developing strategies to deal with pressured situations.
5.4 Encouraging abstinence and a delay in sexual debut.