UNFIP/DFID project on Comprehensive Partnership Strategies for HIV/STI Prevention among Young People in the Russian Federation.

Project objectives:

The overall goal of the project was to reduce the incidence oh HIV/STI among young people, especially girls and young women, by ensuring the availability and access to information, education health services, counselling for HIV testing and commodities required for young people to develop and exercise effective life skills
Immediate project's objectives were to:
1) Ensure that young people and in particular those under higher risk of HIV/STI infection have access to information and health services and commodities for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of STIs, and HIV/AIDS.
2) Develop local governmental, NGO and media capacity, necessary for the implementation of HIV/AIDS Strategic Plans as it relates to the achievement of the proposed project goal and general objective.

The ILO component was designed for the two public networks in the Altai territory and Volgograd region: basic vocational training (further on: BVT) schools and public employment centers and aimed at provide HIV prevention information, commodities and referrals to youth in vocational schools, employment services, and labour exchanges and build professional capacity of vocational school teachers and of employment services personnel (including psychologists).

The project partners in implementing the ILO component of the project were: Minzdravsozrazvitia RF, Ministry of Education and Science RF; Regional tripartite partners in Altai krai and Volgograd region Labour Committees, Employment Services, Education Committees, Youth Committees, Regioanl AIDS Centers)

Focus group session (Volgograd summer camp for basic vocational schools stuents): the selection of pictures for "Your Health" modular manual	Training on HIV/AIDS for psycologists working in employment centers in Altai krai

Project outcomes:

National level:

• Federal Agency on Education committed 2 National education centers for incorporation and certification of the training of trainers programme on HIV/STI prevention in the BVT schools on the basis of the ILO "Your Health" programme and training manual.
• Federal Agency on Labour and Employment circulated a letter to Regional Employment Services of 89 regions of the Russian Federation informing them on the pilot HIV/STI prevention programmes developed in the Altai territory and Volgograd region and inviting them to replicate this experience.
• Federal Agency on Labour and Employment developed a Concept of HIV/STI prevention training for the employment centers' expert staff.

Final conferences in both pilot regions finalized the outcomes and findings of the project. The collections of the conference materials were printed and distributed in Altai Krai and Volgograd region.



Regional level

Basic Vocational Training:

• Trainings for trainers, BVT teachers, management and specialists of BVT were provided
• The national and regional experts developed "Your Health" training manual. It was tested at the pilot BVT schools and certified by the Institute on BVT development under the Ministry of Science and Education.
• "Teenagers' Health" leaflets and "Some Facts on Drugs, STI, and HIV/AIDS" posters were distributed among all BVT schools in both regions.
• Project impact evaluation was supplemented by the 3 stages sociological surveys. The surveys were developed and implemented by the experts from the Altay State University and Volgograd Medical University. The results of the survey were summarized and printed as a brochure "Technology of the multi-level assessment of the young people awareness level as the result of introducing education programmes and information materials on HIV/AIDS dissemination in vocational training institutions.

Basic Vocational Training:

• Trainings for trainers, management and specialists of employment centers were provided
• HIV/STI prevention booklets and "Some Facts on Drugs, STI, and HIV/AIDS" posters were printed and distributed at all employment centres of both pilot regions.
• CDs with "Update Your Knowledge on HIV/AIDS" jingles were printed and distributed for broadcasting at all employment centers of both regions.
Final conference, Altai krai, October 2005