Acknowledgements Introduction Health for us all Different people, different needs Selecting and adapting resources Resources Samples Organisations and suppliers Index

	Memory Game
	Condom use staircase
	Learning about AIDS - Everyone's task
	Transmission runaround
	Snakes and Ladders
	The Risk Game
	HIV Transmission Game
	Cartoon strips
	Feelings and Attitudes
	Puzzle Game
	Negotiating safer sex
	Collage
	Picture codes
	Drama and Role-Play
	Radio
	Puppets
	T-shirts with comic strips

Memory Game

This game was produced after discussions with street youth about HIV transmission. It uses picture cards to teach which kinds of activities are safe (do not transmit HIV) and which are unsafe (can potentially transmit HIV). The game also gives players the opportunity for discussing any fears or doubts. 

Important: The cards shown here contain explicit images which may not be appropri4te for your group. These cards were developed with young people who expressed the need for sexually explicit information which related to their daily lives. Some youth educators who reviewed this activity expressed concern about the pictures. If you use this game, you may need to adapt the images to your own situation. 

Group: Any size 
Time: 30 minutes 
Materials: Two copies of each card 
 

	Explain to the group that each player takes it in turns to try and find two cards with matching pictures.
	Place all the cards face down on the floor or table.
	The first player turns two cards face up.
	If the cards do not match, the player turns the cards face down and the next player takes a turn to try and find two matching cards.
	If the cards do match, the player tells the group whether the activity shown in the pictures is safe (such as sharing food) or unsafe (such as having sex without a condom). The player has to give reasons for their answer. If the player answers correctly, they keep the cards and take another turn. If the player answers incorrectly, they turn the cards face down again and the next player takes a turn to try and find two matching cards.
	The game is finished when all the cards have been matched and the correct answers given. The winner is the person with the most cards at the end of the game. You might consider giving them a prize such as a condom!

Original game designed by the Brazilian Center for the Defense of Rights of Children and Adolescents.

Condom use staircase

Group: Any size, 12 years-adult 
Time: 15-30 minutes 
Materials: Large sheet of paper with the condom staircase drawn on it and 13 large cards with the steps written on to them. (You could draw pictures representing the 13 steps). 
 

	Explain to the group that they have to put the 13 steps for condom use on the staircase in the right order. Distribute the 13 cards among the group.
	Follow this game by asking the group members to demonstrate how to put on a condom using a model or an object such as a banana.

Learning about AIDS - Everyone's task

This board game was designed in Chile to examine beliefs and myths about HIV/AIDS and to provide basic information. The game can be played without an 'expert' as the correct answers to questions on the Everyone's task cards are found in the accompanying booklet. It is helpful to have a facilitator to encourage open discussion when talking about HIV and sexuality.

 

Group: Not more than 10 people, 12 years upwards 
Time: Not more than 1 hour 
Materials: Board, dice, one counter for each pair of players, set of up to 72 Everyone's task question cards with answer booklet, 35 Community cards
 

	The group divides into pairs and each pair puts their counter on the start square.
	Each pair throws the dice and the highest number starts. The first pair throws the dice and moves their counter according to the number on the dice.
	The players follow the instructions on the board:  if they land on a numbered square they pick up an Everyone's task question card and answer the question (see examples below). They then check in the booklet that the answer is correct. Other players can join in the discussion.  if they land on a picture of a home, bar, clinic, etc, they pick up a Community card with the matching picture and discuss the situation on the card (see examples below).
	The game ends when someone reaches the final square.

These are some examples. You could design your own question cards. 

Game adapted and translated from Spanish with permission from EPES.

Transmission run around

The aim of this activity is to find out how much people know about HIV transmission. This game could be adapted for other topics, such as sex, contraception or men's and women's roles.

Group: Up to 40 people, any age depending on statements used. The group have to be able to move around
Time: Up to 60 minutes, depending on number of statements and size of group 
Materials: Two large cards, one saying strongly agree and another card saying strongly disagree
 

Place the cards at either end of the space where Transmission runaround is to be played and where everyone can see them. Explain to the group that you will read out a series of statements. When a statement has been read everyone is to move towards the strongly agree or strongly disagree side of the room, depending whether they agree or disagree. Read the first statement. When everyone has moved to their chosen place, ask them to discuss why they are standing where they are with the person standing closest to them. After a short time ask everyone to discuss why they have chosen to be where they are with someone standing far away. Repeat with the next statement.

 
 

Strongly Agree

Strongly Disagree

Sample Statements Anal sex between two men is more risky than anal sex between a man and a woman Women are safe from HIV as long as they use a contraceptive You can become infected with HIV by having sex for money

If you wash yourself after sex you will not get infected with HIV

You can become infected with HIV from oral sex 

You will not get AIDS by having sex with a virgin 

Injecting drugs will give you HIV 

You can get HIV from mosquitoes

Condoms will stop you becoming infected with HIV 

If you stick to one partner you won't become infected with HIV

You can't get AIDS from a person who appears healthy


Adapted from AIDS: working with young people (resource 4) with permission from AVERT.

Snakes and Ladders

Group: Any size, any age depending on the situations chosen 
Time: About 60 minutes 
Materials: Snakes and ladders board, counters for each player, dice

This game can be a good activity for younger children to discuss health issues. It could easily be adapted for any topic, including sexual health. 
 

Each player puts a counter on the Start square and takes turns throwing the dice. The player with the highest number starts. The first player throws the dice and moves their counter along the number of squares shown on the dice.  If they land on a square with the head of a snake they slide down to the end of the snake. If they land on a square which shows the bottom of a ladder, another player takes a Question and answer card (not included here) and asks them the question on the card.  If they answer correctly they move to the top of the ladder.  If they answer incorrectly the next player takes a turn. The winner is the first player to reach the Home square.

 

If you want to make the game more varied, you can create special squares. If you are doing work on drugs you could add these squares, for example:

Cafe - you invite another player to join you for coffee. The player you have invited must join you on that square wherever they are on the board. No smoking - any player who smokes misses a turn if they land here. Busted! Anyone who lands on this square has been caught by the police for being drunk or in possession of illegal drugs. Return to the Start square.   Reprinted with permission from Child-to-Child. Additional adaptations taken from On-line: the drugs learning pack (resource 15) with permission from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Risk Game

This exercise uses cards to teach players whether activities involving a person with HIV are likely to transmit HIV (high or low risk) or not (no risk).  Group: At least 10 people, must be able to read and write, 12 years-adult  Time: At least 60 minutes  Materials: Activity cards (at least one for each pair), and 3 risk cards saying high risk, low risk and no risk

 

	Select the activity cards which are most appropriate for your group and/or devise your own cards.
	Explain that all activities involve a person with HIV.
	Draw a line on the floor. Place the high risk card at one end of the line and the no risk card at the other end, with the low risk card in the middle.
	Divide the group into pairs (or fours if you have a large group). Give each pair an activity card and ask them to discuss whether they think the activity is high risk, low risk or no risk and then put their card on the line by one of the risk cards.
	The facilitator asks questions and check that the answers are correct.

HIV Transmission Game

This game can help young people to understand the risk of my transmission and to experience how it may feel to be infected with HIV. It is important for the facilitator to know the facts about HIV and be prepared to deal with sensitive issues which may be raised. Be aware that there may be young people in the group who are concerned about being HIV positive themselves or caring for someone who is HIV positive. Tell the group where individuals can get more confidential information or counselling if they wish.

 

Group: At least 15, 14 years-adult  Time: 45-60 minutes  Materials: One bag for each person with 30 coloured sweets. Alternatively you can use another snack, such as nuts or dried fruit, or rolled up pieces of paper marked HIV+ or  HIV-. In two of the bags put 10-15 green sweets (or pieces of paper marked HIV+ and rolled into balls}. Mark the bottom of these two bags with an X. Do not put green sweets (or HIV+ paper balls) in the other bags.  One small card and a pencil for each person. Mark three of these cards with a small C.

 

	Prepare the bags but do not explain to the group what is in them.
	Give each person a bag, a small card and a pencil.
	Explain to the group that this is only a game to help them understand how it may feel to be infected with HIV.
	Ask people to walk around the room and exchange sweets with other people in the group if they want to. Explain that they do not have to exchange sweets if they do not want to but if they do they must get a signature or a symbol on their card from each person they have exchanged sweets with. And tell them not to eat the sweets yet!
	After about 5 minutes ask people to sit down again. Find out who has the most signatures on their card. Explain that in this game exchanging sweets with someone means having sex with them. People who chose not to exchange sweets and who have no signatures on their card have chosen to abstain from sex.
	Tell the group that two people have an X marked on the bottom of their bag. Ask them to stand up. Explain that these two people were the only people to have green sweets (or HIV+ paper balls) and that in this game this represents an HIV virus.
	Now ask anyone else with a green sweet (or HIV+ paper ball) in their bag to stand up. Explain that because they exchanged sweets with someone with HIV they have become HIV infected too.
	Next ask people still sitting whose card has been signed by someone who is standing up to stand up too. They could also have become infected with HIV, though this time they have not.
	If anyone has a C on their card they can sit down. In this game the C means that they used condoms and were protected from the virus.
	The game is now over. Remind everyone that it was only a game and that the 'virus' has been 'removed'. Ask everyone to say what they felt about the game in a few words.
	Questions for discussion could include:  How many people were infected by the end of the game and how did they feel?  Did anyone choose not to exchange sweets and if so, how did it feel? How did others react to your choice not to exchange sweets?  If you did exchange sweets, how well did you know the other person beforehand? How did the people who used condoms feel at the end of the game?

Adapted with permission from Advocates for Youth.

Cartoon strips

This exercise encourages young people to practice talking about sexuality and sex. Cartoons can show situations that they face, for example, telling a parent that you are gay or being bullied by school friends who think you have an STD.

Group: Any number of people, must be able to write, any age (depending on the cartoons used)
Time: Up to 60 minutes, depending on the number of cartoon strips you use
Materials: Photocopies of the cartoon strips (one for each person), pencils and rubbers
 

	Hand our photocopied cartoon strips to the group, together with pencils and rubbers.
	Explain that the strip shows a conversation between two people, the topic being explained in the title. They must fill in the words to fit the expressions and actions in the drawings.
	Once the strips are completed, ask the group to explain why they have chosen the words they have chosen. The facilitator should then promote a discussion about the situations in the pictures and what the group can do about them.

Try making your own comic strips (see example below) or drawing comic strips for other groups to fill in (see examples on next page).


Original idea from AIDS: working with young people  published by AVERT
Photos taken from I need to know (resource 49) published by Ministry of Health, Botswana. 
Cartoons taken from Together we can (resource 21) with permission from the Jamaican Red Cross.

Feelings and Attitudes

This game can help participants examine their assumptions about other people and experience how other people may feel when assumptions are made.  The activity can be used to see how our own sexual identities or cultures and our economic situation affects the way that we are seen.  Group: At least 10 people, must be able to read, 13-adult  Time: At least 45 minutes  Materials: Labels with characters written on them, pins

 

	Before starting explain that this is a game and that they have to role-play the character they are given. If the group has not done much role-play before it may be good to begin with short role-plays before doing this activity.
	Ask everyone to pin a label on the back of another person in the group without them seeing it.
	Explain that they have all been given a character, which is written on the label on their back. Each person is to walk around and talk to other people, reacting to the person as if they are the character described on the label on their back. Think of a good situation where people might be mixing such as at the market. After they have done this for some time ask people to stop, explain that the role play is over and let them look at the label on their back.
	Discuss the following points:  How did you feel that you were treated?  Did you notice that you reacted differently to the different characters that people presented? Why?  Did the character that you were given make you feel confident or unconfident? Do you think that this happens in your own groups of friends?  What can we all do to challenge these stereotypes?

Puzzle Game

The aim of this activity is to encourage participants to think about pressures on people which might put them at risk of becoming infected with HIV. The puzzle offers some suggestions of possible factors. Your group will come up with different reasons for why people become infected with HIV in your community. Group: Any number of groups of three or four people, any age  Time: Not more than 60 minutes Materials: Paper or card for the jigsaw, glue, scissors, pens or pencils.

 

	Brainstorm, for example using a role-play, all the reasons why a person might become infected with HIV.
	On a large piece of paper draw a puzzle like the one shown below. Write HIV/AIDS on one piece and leave the others blank.
	Cut up the puzzle pieces and distribute them among the players. Ask the person with the piece marked HIV/AIDS to place it in the middle.
	Each person has to try and fit their pieces onto the rest of the puzzle and as they are doing it write on all the factors that young people have mentioned in the brainstorm.
	The group can then discuss how the problems relate to each other.  What can we do about these problems to avoid them leading to HIV infection? Will solving one part solve the whole problem?  Where should we start to begin solving problems?

You could also use pictures from magazines that illustrate the written messages for the pieces of the puzzle and place them on the back, or ask the group to draw pictures. This will make the game more interesting to look at and make it easier for children who do not read to use it.


Adapted from Action for Youth (resource 3), with permission from International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

FACTORS WHICH MAY LEAD TO HIV INFECTION IN A YOUNG PERSON 

Negotiating safer sex

This exercise aims to enable young men and women to practice negotiation skills and to be assertive about their decisions. It gives young people who have already discussed safer sex the opportunity to experience possible real-life situations. 

Group: At least 6 people, any age, depending on the situations chosen 
Time: At least 45 minutes 
Materials: Two situation cards per role-play with the two characters described on them
 

	The group divides into two rows, standing opposite each other.
	Explain that the purpose of the activity is to explore negotiating safer sex but that it is up to them whether their role-play results in this.
	Each row is given a situation card with their character on it. For example:  Row A is Sam and row B is Rita. The situation is: Sam and Rita are going out together. Sam has had a lesson at school about HIV and he wants to start using a condom but Rita is not keen ...
	The person at the top of row A begins a conversation as if they were Sam. The person opposite replies as if they were Rita. Then the second person in row A replies in character. The person opposite replies, and so on taking turns until the last person in row B has spoken, then back to the first person in row A.
	When the conversation comes to a conclusion you can discuss the following points:  How long did it take for the characters to talk about safer sex? What made it difficult for the characters to talk about safer sex?  What else might make it difficult to talk about sex?  Was it different for boys and girls?  What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of discussing safer sex?  What are the difficulties in discussing and negotiating sex or saying 'no' when you do not want to have sex?
	If you have a mixed group try getting the girls to playa boy and the boys to play a girl and think of all the phrases that they have heard of that people use to persuade someone to have sex. I'll be very careful. .. If you really loved me you would... I'll leave you if you don't... There are names for people like you who lead men on .. .
	Try and draw out the differences between the pressures that young men and young women face.

You could use this game to practise other situations where it is sometimes difficult to be assertive or say what you want, such disagreeing about your favourite singer, talking to your parents, saying no to drugs...
 

Collage

A collage is a collection of different pictures and images all pasted together to create a larger picture.  This activity examines how the media portrays women and men in order to explore common ideas and expectations about men and women and to enable young people to think about how men and women communicate with each other. Group: At least 10, divided into smaller groups, any age  Time: 20-30 minutes  Materials: Large sheets of paper (one for each small group), collection of magazines and newspapers, glue, scissors, pens

	Start the exercise by asking the group for examples of how women and men are described in the media.
	Divide into groups of 3-5 people of the same sex.
	Give each group a large piece of paper (it can be an old newspaper or scrap paper), some glue, scissors and a number of magazines, newspapers or health education leaflets.
	Ask half the groups to make a collage of the way that women are shown in the media, choosing and cutting out any words or images from the magazines and pasting them on the sheet to make a collage. Ask the other half to make a collage illustrating the way men are shown in the media.
	Allow the groups up to half an hour to cut out any words, images or drawings that they feel represent the way that men and women are portrayed.
	Display the collages so everyone can see them. Ask each group to explain their collage.
	Draw out the following points: What are the differences between the collages about women and men?  Do the group agree that these images are realistic? If not, why not?  How do the girls in the group feel about being portrayed in this way?  How do the boys in the group feel about being portrayed in this way? .
	If you have time, get the group to do a collage representing the way that they would like to be seen. The collages can then be used to design posters or drawings, or develop a play addressing some of the issues raised.

 

Try using this activity to look at other forms of media portrayal, for example of young gay men and lesbians or disabled people.  You can choose your own phrase depending on the issues that you will be covering in the training:  AIDS and HIV means. ..  I like being a girl/boy because. ..  Disability means. ..  If you have access to videos, you could watch a film aimed at young people and discuss the images portrayed and then try and produce your own version of how you would like the story to be.  Listen to music tapes and discuss how men and women are portrayed in the song, then prepare your own songs.

A picture code is a poster-sized illustration without words which shows a situation about which people may have strong feelings. For example, it may show a young woman buying condoms, a young man visiting an STD clinic or a young man standing alone and ignored by other young people in a school yard.
 

	Place the picture code in a position where it can be seen clearly - on the ground or fixed to the wall.
	Ask the group questions to stimulate discussion:  What is happening in the picture?  Does this happen in real life?  Why is this happening? What does the picture make you feel?  Do any problems or good things arise from this situation?  What can be done about it (to make it happen more or less)?
	At the end of the discussion summarise what has been said.
	Remember to draw out the key points that you wish to emphasise so that the discussion can end in the young people thinking about how they would like to see the situation differently.

What are the key issues that your group would like to discuss? This discussion can lead on to other activities or to action. Why not use this as a start for designing some of your own materials. One organisation in Tanzania painted picture codes as murals on the side of buildings in their town to get local people talking about the issues. 



Reprinted from Communicating about AIDS published by Zimbabwe AIDS Network and Let's teach about AIDS (resource 13).

Drama and Role-Play

Drama skills are found in every community and it is an activity which most young people enjoy. Drama can help young people put themselves into a situation and experience it personally. It is normally easier to understand the spoken word than writing or pictures, especially where many people do not read. Expressing thoughts through role-plays and drama can help people to develop confidence and try out new ideas and behaviour that may be difficult in real life.

 
 
The following drama exercises may help the group to become confident and develop their own ideas: 
 

	In a role-play two people act out a given situation. For example:  Two boys who are friends are talking. One is in favour of using condoms and the other is not. A boy is trying to persuade his girlfriend to use condoms. She doesn't want to and thinks it will get stuck 'in there'.  A girl wants to go out with her friends after school and her mother does not want her to.
	Ask people to get into pairs. Give each pair a situation in which they may play themselves or a character that is given to them.
	Each pair performs their role-play in front of the rest of the group.
	After the role-play has finished make sure that you allow the group an opportunity to ask questions. For example: How did the people who did the role-play feel about the character they played?  How did the rest of the group feel about the role-play? Did they feel it could have been different?

When the group is more experienced in role-play you could try the following exercise: 
 

Two volunteers in the group begin role-playing a situation. For example:  A boy is persuading a girl to have sex with him and tells her how faithful he is. After it has started and reached an important point, stop the role-play and ask the group if they think the situation is realistic and what might happen next.

When someone makes a suggestion ask them to change places with one of the characters in the role-play. Ask the group Who would it be interesting to have a visit from now? The person in the audience who makes an interesting suggestion can join the role-play, for example, as the boy's other girl friend.

Radio

If there is a local radio station you can try creating shows for broadcasting. Here are some guidelines for the group to consider before making a simple radio programme: 
 

Identify the major message of the radio programme (this can be done after role-playing or discussion). Ask What do we want people to think or feel when they hear our radio programme? Keep these answers to look at when you have prepared the programme. Listen to other radio shows and decide what you like and do not like. Listen to the different bits of a radio programme, such as music, interviews and conversations. Decide which bits you would like in your programme and prepare a programme outline. Possible ideas for radio programmes are:  soap operas  quiz shows competitions for rap songs or radio jingles interviews with other young people who have something interesting to say

For theatre and radio shows remember these tips: 
 

Keep it short and simple. Don't put too many ideas in one story. Make the message clear through what happens in the story. It is best if people discover the message for themselves rather than having it forced upon them. Use local ways of telling stories and making drama. Include music, songs and dancing. Action is as important as words. Make plays a mixture of action, tears and laughter.

Puppets

Puppets and masks can be a useful way of exploring ideas and expressing thoughts and emotions in public that are difficult to do personally. The puppet can sometimes say things that we find too hard. 

Simple puppets can be made from local materials (see below). Puppet theatres can be made by hanging a cloth between two trees or over a stick across a doorway. 

If there are traditional ways of using puppets in your area try inviting someone to teach the group how to make them.

Think about the following points before making your puppets: 
 

	First decide on your story through role-play activities or others.
	To design the puppets, think of the character and attitude of the puppet. Ask the group to study the other people in the group, on the streets or at home, paying special attention to their faces and movements.
	Make puppets with bold distinctive features which are larger than life to express their emotions.
	Practise moving the puppet, by holding the puppet's arms out straight to the sides, wiggling the arms and folding them together using your fingers.
	Practise moving the body using exaggerated gestures to show emotions such as surprise, shyness, anger, happiness and embarrassment.
	Start developing your puppets' character by practising greeting each other.
	Once you have developed the puppet characters you can develop the play.

Puppets can be used for many ideas. For example, if you work with street children, try developing a play that examines how children on the streets are treated by the police.

 

T-shirts with comic strips

T-shirts with comic strips on them can be a good way of attracting attention to a message and helping to get the message across. Comic strips can be a good way of conveying information to people who cannot read and encouraging discussion. 

The comic strips on these t-shirts were produced by a group of street youth. They show images of safe behaviours in the context of their daily lives. Two important messages that they wanted to explain to other street boys were:
 

	that it is not possible for boys to become infected with HIV by masturbating together in a group
	using a condom correctly during sex can prevent HIV transmission

With the help of an artist the group developed the two stories shown below.

Young people can design their own messages and think of their own ways of getting across information. Think of your own examples -and don't forget to share your story with the Hand-in-Hand Network!

Reprinted with permission from 
Hand-in-Hand Network.