The overarching aim of the intervention is to assist boys to make life choices that lead to their improved skills in relating with women and girls through planned self-care and positive interaction with girls as well as increased community participation.

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS?

The intervention aims to challenge certain gender stereotypes and behaviours which perpetuate and heighten violent behaviours towards women and girls by boys and men. The programme models boys to become change agents in reducing sexual violence and abuse against women and girls. The focus is to guide their behaviour by increasing skills in understanding and appreciating differences in the opposite gender and enhancing relationship skills. This is important because by improving healthy relationships between males and females, the possibilities of correcting some harmful stereotypes and promoting mutual relationships between genders increases.

It is unique in its concept, approach, design and implementation because it targets boys with approaches aimed at ensuring they become change agents.

1 – Increasing social skills against factors that enhances vulnerability to violent behaviours.

2 – Equipping boys with coping strategies to deal with negative cultural or social stereotypes as well as negative social and peer pressures. With regards to the second component, the project focuses on education in sexually responsible The project enables young people develop skills to plan their future, prepare for life challenges, enhance relationship skills, learn the basics of personal development, and understand how to seek economic opportunities.

The project will also facilitate counselling and healthcare services for beneficiaries. Specifically, the activities will include mobilizing and strengthening existing community based programmes, training and capacity building, group work, support groups and therapeutic sessions, counselling services, public education efforts, career and school work support, educational tours, coaching,

The programme was developed in response to the increased rate of VAWG, especially young girls in South Africa. It is evidence based and has been piloted in some provinces. The model is premised on the view that boys, who acquire and build positive skills will make quality choices which enables them relate with the opposite gender differently.

It will enable young people develop skills to plan their future, prepare for life challenges, enhance relationship skills, learn the basics of personal growth, and understand how to seek economic opportunities.

The intervention challenges certain gender stereotypes and behaviours which perpetuates and heighten violent behaviours towards women and girls.

The programme encourages young people to examine cultural influences in gender roles and re-learn how to adopt positive supportive roles.

The main beneficiaries of the programme are:

Teenagers and youth between ages 12 and 21 years
Teenage and youth boys up to 21 years
In school and out of school boys