HC3’s FP INFOcus Guide Puts the Power of Health Promotion in Young Champions’ Hands

Getting accurate health information is one of the first steps to making contraceptive decisions that can protect against unintended pregnancy and related risks. Unfortunately, many young people around the world face unique barriers to accessing quality family planning (FP) information and services. This is especially true for intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, also known as long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). Furthermore, young champions interested in or currently working to bridge this FP knowledge and use gap often lack the technical skills to do so in a way that lets their message travel beyond their ­immediate community.

To help meet these challenges, the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative (HC3) is proud to release its FP INFOcus Guide.

The Guide encourages young sexual and reproductive health (SRH) champions between the ages of 18 and 24 to come together to create and promote short videos that share contraceptive knowledge and model key skills – all using their mobile phones. The Guide promotes the use of participatory video and mobile first approaches, to create videos that feature authentic voices and perspectives, in a way that is quick and easy, low budget and based on technology that many already have in their pockets. When FP INFOcus videos are shared on social media and viewed on mobile phones, viewers have the opportunity to privately learn about their FP options and will be better equipped to make informed contraceptive decisions.

To ensure that the Guide had all of the information readers need to prepare, produce and promote their own mobile phone videos, HC3 worked with a Nigerian youth-focused organization, the HACEY Health Initiative, to test out the FP INFOcus Guide and approach. The practical tips and resources provided in the Guide are based on the feedback and lessons learned from HC3’s work with HACEY and can be used by beginner and advanced filmmakers/health promoters alike.

To learn more about FP INFOcus, listen to the ‘Improving Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health through Digital Storytelling’ webinar recording and share your experience with digital storytelling or promoting SRH to young people in our continuing Springboard discussion.