Power Through Choices

Program Objectives

The PTC program seeks to provide targeted youth with the information and skills necessary to avoid risky sexual behaviors and reduce the occurrence of STIs, HIV, and adolescent pregnancy. The curriculum objectives focus on preparing youth to:

1. Make healthy, positive choices related to sexual behavior.
2. Build condom and contraceptive knowledge and skills.
3. Develop and practice effective communication skills.
4. Learn how to access available resources.

Program Content

The PTC program comprises ten 90-minute sessions that are carried out by trained facilitators. The sessions are interactive in nature and include role-playing scenarios, demonstrations and group discussions. The ten sessions are:

1. Introduction to PTC: Introduce curriculum, assess participants’ knowledge regarding pregnancy prevention and sex education, and demonstrate role playing.
2. Making Choices Clear: Help participants to build assertiveness and communication skills related to sexual activity.
3. Adolescent Reproductive Health Basics: Increase knowledge of male and female reproductive anatomy, the process of fertilization and conception, and the menstrual cycle.
4. Increasing Contraceptive Knowledge: Increase knowledge about contraceptive methods.
5. Understanding STIs and HIV and How to Reduce Your Risk: Increase knowledge and understanding of STI/HIV transmission and prevention.
6. Practice Makes Perfect: Discuss the level of risk associated with various sexual behaviors, use role playing to demonstrate the importance of dual methods, and learn condom use skills.
7. Using Resources to Support Your Choices: Discuss ways to improve communication about contraception with foster parents, guardians, and group home staff members; learn how to access local sexual and reproductive health resources.
8. Making Choices that Fit Your Lifestyle: Develop a plan for avoiding unwanted pregnancies and STIs, set short- and long-term goals, and identify choices needed to attain goals.
9. Creating the Future You Want: Identify planning involved in practicing positive sexual behaviors, outline individual choices involved in sexual decision making, and discuss abstinence as a viable choice.
10. Plan + Prepare + Practice = POWER: Reinforce themes and messages of the curriculum.

Program Methods

PTC adopts a trauma-informed approach and is specifically designed for and with youth in out-of-home placements. The developer recognized that the program is for youth who have experienced “an array of adverse childhood experiences.”