Strengthening Life Skills for Positive Youth Health Behavior

Strengthening Life Skills for Positive Youth Health Behavior Synopsis

Life skills education, using the peer to to to peer approach, can effectively promote youth health and protect young people from HIV, drugs, sexual abuse and other threats. This publication draws on experiences, lessons learned and recommendations from the 2005 to 2009 UNESCAP project Strengthening Life Skills for Positive Youth Health Behaviour, which was implemented in Cambodia, China, Philippines and Sri Lanka. A youth-centred approach is adopted, with emphasis on psychological factors, social interaction and how to empower young people, especially out- of-school youth, with essential life skills to better deal with the many challenges they face in their daily lives. Wider socio to structural issues are addressed and key elements are put forward to help develop innovative and creative programmes and move Asia and the Pacific away from ineffective and costly single-problem focused strategies.