Involving the Faith Community in Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Their leadership can help teenpregnancy programs strengthentheir presence in the areas theyalready serve. Even more, faithcommunities can open doors tonew groups. A recent study fundedby the American Associationof Retired Persons found thateach American belongs, onaverage, to four communitygroups. The most commonlycited is a religious organization(Love, 1997). The networkingpotential is substantial.Moreover, in some communities,religious organizations are someof the only institutions that stillfunction well, have credibility,and can reach out to familieswith a values-based message.This community credibility thatfaith communities bring to a partnershipis crucial because it canbroaden the perception of a pregnancyprevention effort from alimited, “special interest” projectto one that is seen as more closelytied to the larger community.IT TAKES TWOThe IT TAKES TWO pregnancyprevention program, whichinvolves professional male andfemale presentation teamsdelivering lively, motivationalpresentations in local schools,began in Des Moines, Iowa, overten years ago. As it expandedto communities across the stateand country, many programsAccess to young people,parents, and potentialvolunteersFaith communities typically havea variety of special programs foryoung people, both boys andgirls, and for parents—just thegroups that most programs toprevent teen pregnancy target.As such, faith communitiesshould be at the top of anycommunity outreach list.Parents in particular have animportant part to play in preventingadolescent pregnancy,and religious congregations area good place to reach them.Parents who are active in a congregationalso tend to be activein the lives of their children, andfaith communities typically supportparents who are concernedfor and want to be involved withthe lives of their teens.Faith communities also can be asource of the volunteer help andexpertise that many programsneed. For example, manychurches and other religiousorganizations have strong traditionsof community servicelooked to volunteers from thecommunity. Several turned tothe faith community for help.Numerous clergy, representing avariety of traditions and denominations,have been trained asprogram presenters. These clergyhave taken the program to thecommunity and to their owncongregations.33THE FAITH COMMUNITY