Stepping Stones
An award-winning training package on HIV/AIDS,
gender issues, communication and relationship skills.
What is it?
- A 240-page manual for trainers, and an accompanying
workshop video of 15 five-minute clips (though the manual can be used
without the video).
- Full, closely-guided instructions on how to run around
60 hours of workshop sessions, divided into 18 sessions over 10 to 12
weeks.
- Designed to enable women and men of all ages to explore
their social, sexual and psychological needs, to analyse the communication
blocks they face, and to practise different ways of behaving in their
relationships.
- The workshop aims to enable individuals, their peers
and their communities to change their behaviour - individually and together
- through the ‘stepping stones’ which the various sessions
provide.
For whom?
- Designed for use in existing HIV/AIDS projects, and
in general development projects which plan to introduce an on-going
AIDS component.
- Designed for use by a team of skilled people - ideally
two male, two female - who work with peer groups of community members.
- Experienced trainers should be able to use the material
straight away.
Less experienced trainers may need a training course to help them start
to use it.
With whom?
- Originally for use in communities throughout sub-Saharan
Africa. However, it is also being successfully adapted for use in Asia,
North and Latin America and Europe.
- Most sessions are designed for people in small groups
of 10-20, of their own gender and age. Occasional sessions bring everyone
together.
Why?
- The ABC of AIDS (Abstain! Be faithful! use Condoms!)
on its own does not work. Lectures on AIDS are too simplistic.
- Stepping Stones grew out of the need to address the
vulnerability of women and young people in decision-making about sexual
behaviour.
- The materials enable people to explore the huge range
of issues which affect our sexual health - including gender roles, money,
alcohol use, traditional practices, attitudes to sex, attitudes to death
and our own personalities.
How?
- All sessions use a participatory approach of adult
learning through shared discussions.
- The exercises are all based on people's own experiences,
and role play and drawing exercises enable everyone to take part. No
literacy is needed.
- Participants discuss their experiences, act them
out, analyse them, consider alternative outcomes, and then rehearse
these together in a safe, supportive group.
- People feel safe because most sessions take place
in groups of their own gender and age.
- Though designed with HIV/AIDS in mind, the
package covers many related topics such as gender violence and alcohol
use.
To order online from TALC, please click here. You can also use our order form by clicking here.
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See clips from the video
What users say
"This manual has been of tremendous benefit and
help to stakeholders, middle level managers and entire health workers
in the district. It has increased the knowledge and proficiency of those
health workers who were solely for homebase care and counselling unit
for HIV/AIDS patients. "
Frederick Ofosu, Ministry of Health , Odumase-Krobo, Ghana.
"One of the most valuable recent additions to the quite
scanty written materials available in the area of community mobilization.
UNAIDS has included this resource package among the "key documents"
recommended for use in innovative community mobilization programmes."
Noerine Kaleeba. Community Mobilization Adviser, UNAIDS.
"The process was emotionally charged - we were talking about very deep
issues. This wouldn't have happened without the Stepping Stones methods.
There were young women, widows, mothers with sick children, all taking
part. People shared some deep experiences they had never told anyone
before - it helped everyone to bond as a group."
Rudo Chikukwa, Network of Zimbabwean Positive Women.
"The girls really love doing the games and drama.
Many of them are already involved in unsafe sex; now they're gaining
not just knowledge, but the confidence and assertiveness to say no or
let's use a condom."
Sarah Tweats, VSO teacher, Solwesi Technical Secondary School, Zambia |
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