reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 4
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
Several techniques help assure good
communication with adolescents:
Create a good, friendly first
impression
• Start on time; don’t make the client
wait.
• Smile and warmly greet the client.
• Introduce yourself and what you do.
• Ask her/his name and what s/he likes
to be called.
Establish rapport during the first
session
• Face the adolescent, sitting in similar
chairs.
• Use the adolescent’s name during
the session.
• Demonstrate a frank and honest
willingness to understand and help.
• Begin the session by allowing the
adolescent to talk freely before
asking directive questions.
• Congratulate the adolescent for
seeking help.
Eliminate barriers to good
communication
• Avoid judgmental responses of body
or spoken language.
• Respond with impartiality, respecting
the adolescent’s beliefs, opinions,
and diversity or expression regarding
her/his sexuality.
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
ROLE PLAY TO PRACTICE THE
CLARIFICATION TECHNIQUE
(30 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Explain that this exercise is to learn
to use the clarification technique in
order to help the adolescent client
explore ideas and feelings, and to
help clarify confusing or vague
messages.
• Distribute Px Handout 4.3: Lines to
Practice Clarification Technique.
4.3
• For the first round, ask for 6
volunteers. Three should play
adolescents and 3 should be
counselors, with pairs seated facing
each other.
• The first “adolescent” speaks line #1
to her/his “counselor.” The counselor
responds, attempting to clarify what
the adolescent means with specific
reference to the boldface words.
• The 2 nd and 3 rd pairs repeat this
process with lines #2 and #3.
• Ask Px to discuss the “counselor's”
use of the clarification technique,
making comments and suggestions.
• Two more groups of 3 pairs complete
the exercise, with discussions after
each group.
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Adolescent Curriculum