The project facilitates collaborative partnerships with adolescents with the aim of developing coping strategies and behavioural life skills that will help young people to remain in control of their behaviour. The Straight Talk concept is built on the tenets that youth need information on sexuality and reproductive health so as to be able to make informed decisions about their health and lives.

Components of the Straight Talk Project which work to complement each other include:

The Editorial Board: The information, which goes into the various mass media, comes from the youth themselves who form part of the editorial board. It is a forum where young people educate themselves with the staff playing a facilitative role. The editorial board rotates among schools and consists of pupils and youth who choose the theme for the radio programme, and assist in compiling the newspaper; young people are therefore responsible for the content of both media.

Straight Talk Newspaper: on the last Friday of each month, 300,000 copies of the Straight Talk Newspaper are printed and distributed through the Daily Nation newspaper. A further 60, 000 copies are distributed through a mailing list that includes schools, NGO's, universities, public libraries, youth organizations and government ministries.

Straight Talk Radio Show: The 30 minute radio programme is broadcast on the national network, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation English Service, which serves the entire country. The interactive programme airs on Saturday mornings from 10.30 to 11.00, and invites young listeners to participate though the mobile phone short messaging service. The theme and focus of the programme is determined by the young editorial board. and mirrors material and topics currently running in the newspaper and clubs. The radio programme emphasises first hand opinions and experiences of adolescents and introduces role playing scenarios.

Straight Talk Website: This website complements the radio programme and the newspaper. Free iInformation from past discussions can be found on this website. While many youth in Kenya, especially those in the rural areas, do not yet have access to internet services, according the Straight Talk this is changing rapidly, and it is expected that many more young people will soon have access.

Straight Talk Clubs: Straight Talk Clubs were formed in response to the need of young people for forums where issues that appear in the newspaper, on radio or on the website may be discussed in more detail. These clubs form the centre stage for Straight Talk activities which enhance the goals of the Straight Talk projects.

Club activities include:

1. group discussions
2. creating awareness in the community around their school
3. inviting guest speakers, arranging exchange visits, reading public statements
4. community service
5. reading of Straight Talk newspaper among groups
6. listening to the radio programme in ‘listening groups’.

Straight Talk Training programmes: Straight Talk believes that adolescents sexuality and reproductive health issues are difficult to address openly in many societies. They have therefore developed a training programme to prepare club members on how to handle adolescents’ sexuality and reproductive health concerns with sensitivity.

Youth, Reproductive health, Health, HIV/AIDS.