Educational videos on health, love and HIV prevention for teens in Ukrainian

The Women’s Health and Family Planning Charitable Foundation, with support from UNESCO IITE, have adapted and released a series of educational videos for Ukrainian teens and young people.

These animated videos produced in a youth-friendly popular science style address a range of topics which can be difficult to discuss both for teens and for adults, such as parents and teachers wishing to engage children and young people in an open dialogue. These are topics such as growing up; changes in one’s body and emotional state in teen years; relationships and love; gender differences and gender equality; independent decision-making; conflict resolution; and the consequences of smoking and using alcohol and drugs. There is a particular focus on HIV, a topic which is particularly relevant for the EECA countries, including advice on prevention, testing, treatment and living with HIV.

Each video covers its topic by presenting facts and scientific data that unobtrusively lead viewers to making their own conclusions in favor of a healthy lifestyle. The videos are free from judgmental, patronizing or moralizing attitudes and avoid intrusive advice or prohibitions, which often annoy teens and young people and cause them to do the exact opposite.

Each video is up to 5-6 minutes long found to be the optimal duration which helps keep the audience engaged while delivering the key message. All videos are available with subtitles and therefore constitute an learning solution for young people with hearing impairments

The videos were originally created in collaboration with the Nauchpok popular science channel. The national ministries of education in Armenia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan recommended the videos for use in their countries as part of educational activities for teens and young people on HIV prevention and health promotion.

The videos in Ukrainian can be viewed and downloaded at the links below.