Providing SRHR-G and Psychosocial Support and Education to Adolescents

For over a year now, the Institute of Educational Development (IED), BRAC University has been exploring the issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights & gender (SRHR-G) and emotional wellbeing with regards to adolescents. Having developed that position of the ShomajShongee (para-counsellors) to provide adolescents with SRHR-G and psychosocial support and education, during the month of May this position was extended to Kishori/Adolescent Clubs of the BRAC’s Adolescent Development Programme (ADP).

In May, professionals from IED thus provided training to a new batch of 30 ShomajShongee to disseminate SRHR-G and psychosocial related knowledge and support to the adolescents in 56 Kishori/Adolescent Clubs across three districts of Bangladesh (Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi and Hobigonj). Aiming to reach about 2,000 adolescents, the ShomajShongee will start working in the Kishori/Adolescent Clubs from the month of June.

ShomajShongee also continue to be piloted by IED at its junior secondary schools called SSCOPE (Schooling, SRHR-G and Counseling for the Children of Post-Primary Education), where they are responsible for dedicated classes every week on SRHR-G and emotional wellbeing, which allow adolescents both a port of access to information on these topics and a forum to raise questions/concerns they might have on these topics. Additionally, they provide opportunities for individual and group counseling to adolescents. Through its development at SSCOPE schools over the last year, the education and support related to SRHR-G and emotional wellbeing through the SS has proven widely popular and effective among adolescents. Through the SSCOPE schools the ShomajShongee are able to provide support to about 1,200 adolescents in 9 locations of urban Dhaka.

A needs assessment was also carried out at the 2 newly launched BRAC Nobodhara Schools in Dhaka. At these schools, and other private schools and clubs for adolescents, IED continues to explore how adolescents can be provided with SRHR-G and psychosocial support and education.