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Photo: B. Goldberg
Slide 31
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Young people benefit from having access to various types of
providers, depending on their circumstances and the types of
services, information and counseling needed. These can include
doctors, nurses, other health care providers, social workers,
counselors, teachers and youth workers, such as peer counselors.
Family members can also be important sources of information.
In some cases, adolescents will approach only their peers for
information and services. In others, they will visit a doctor.
Program planners need to think about the right kind of provider
for the circumstance, in order to increase a young person's
receptiveness to counseling and information. These issues are
particularly important for unmarried youth but may also be true
for young married adults.
Different types of providers are best suited to meet specific
needs. Teachers, for example, are good sources of information
but rarely provide contraceptives. Peers, when trained adequately,
can be very good at providing basic information and condoms,
as well as referrals to other services. Most youth do not, however,
have the skills and training required to be counselors. In order
to offer a range of reproductive health services for youth,
various types of providers working from more than one location
need to be involved.
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