Young peer counselors fascinate British Ambassador
With the extensive training on Presentation & Peer Helping Skills for Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program (AHYDP) has fascinated British Ambassador Peter Beckingham during a short talk yesterday with the selected youth peer counselors/helpers held at the Provincial Population Office (PPO) in Capitol.
He reiterated that "the talks with those young people are tremendous not only that they can speak correct English" but they can identify various adolescence problems and present solutions."
"We have a fascinating discussion about sex-related problems of young people, getting to know and understand their sexuality," Beckingham said.
The Ambassador also suggested that with the strong command in English that these young people posses, some of them should work in a call center.
This year, a total of 39 peer counselors underwent training on Presentation & Peer Helping Skills for Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program (AHYDP), which were conducted on April 25-29, 2006 for Batch 1 and May 15-19, 2006 for Batch 2.
It was learned that PPO received a grant from the British Embassy a total amount of P532,697.29 through the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, Inc. to be utilized in its program dubbed "Peer Counseling: A Vehicle for Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health."
Meanwhile, Provincial Population Office Godofredo Cubil said this youth will assist in attaining AHYDP objective to promote and improve the total well-being of young people aging 10-24 years old and reduce the incidence of reproductive health problems.
He said further the training, which incurred technical assistance from the Commission on Population Regional Office VI, aimed to enhance knowledge of youth to AHYDP and develop competencies in assisting peers to effectively prepare and cope with the challenges and difficulties of adolescence; discuss the threats and challenges confronting the adolescents; develop basic skills, competencies on peers helping/counseling and presentation; demonstrate increased appreciation and commitment towards the goals and vision of the AHYDP; and entrance existing plans.
(Ian C. Espada/Capitol News)