Young Sisters Take Charge (Y.S.T.C.)
Project Overview:
Young Sisters Take Charge (YSTC) is a day long, gender-specific, health and wellness workshop aimed at increasing self-esteem and self-efficacy while reducing HIV sexual risk behaviors among African American women and girls over the age of 14. YSTC will be enhanced by on-site confidential rapid HIV counseling, testing and referrals (CTR) services conducted by the Women’s Anonymous Testing Site (WATS), a program of the Health Federation of Philadelphia.
How It Works:
YSTC consists of three revolving workshops which cover issues that directly effect African American females. These workshops are facilitated by a dynamic group of women who have experience working in the field of HIV. These workshops are tailored to encourage positive self images and foster aptitude to practice safer sex behaviors.
YSTC workshops include:
Young Sisters Take Charge (YSTC) is a day long, gender-specific, health and wellness workshop aimed at increasing self-esteem and self-efficacy while reducing HIV sexual risk behaviors among African American women and girls over the age of 14. YSTC will be enhanced by on-site confidential rapid HIV counseling, testing and referrals (CTR) services conducted by the Women’s Anonymous Testing Site (WATS), a program of the Health Federation of Philadelphia.
How It Works:
YSTC consists of three revolving workshops which cover issues that directly effect African American females. These workshops are facilitated by a dynamic group of women who have experience working in the field of HIV. These workshops are tailored to encourage positive self images and foster aptitude to practice safer sex behaviors.
YSTC workshops include:
- “FEMALE WAITING TO EXHALE”
- A one-hour skit addressing the challenges facing women and girls as they negotiate safe sexual relationships and behaviors. This includes a role-play about sex and condom negotiation, communication and decision-making.
- “EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP”
- A one-hour gender-specific workshop designed to increase self-efficacy by examining power dynamics in relationships and support participants’ decision to make safer sex a consistent behavior.
- “HIV/STD 101 WORKSHOP”
- A one-hour HIV 101 didactic learning session presenting basic epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. (including disproportionately affected) and information regarding: HIV infection, testing and disease.
