HIV/AIDS Prevention Curriculum for Youth
The Lutheran AIDS Network has made their curriculum:
Brokenness to Wholeness: Update for the 21st Century available on their website, www.lutheranaids.net.

The goals for the curriculum are as follows:

• To help participants explore how risk behaviors relate to the brokenness we find in our communities, our relationships, and in ourselves.
• To help participants understand the facts about transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS and how it affects preteen, adolescent, and young adult populations.
• To help participants explore the differences between life-enhancing and risk-producing behaviors and the values that influence their decisions to choose between them.
• To help participants plan ways to respond, both individually and as a community of faith, to others who are infected with HIV.

The course is divided into four sessions. The content for each session is as follows:

Session 1: Searching Through Brokenness

• explores the meaning of brokenness and risk behaviors
• explores our relationship with Jesus, alongside the reality of sin and brokenness in our communities
• discusses God's response to sin through us and in Holy Communion
• encourages participants to consider how to work together to rebuild community

Session 2: About HIV/AIDS: The Basics

• distinguishes between myths and facts about HIV transmission
• provides the means for young people to explore the facts of the disease and how it affects lives
• helps participants understand ways to prevent the disease

Session 3: Making Life-enhancing Decisions

• reminds participants of the connection between their position as children of God through baptism and their self-worth
• helps participants understand the consequences of at-risk behaviors
• explores factors that contribute to self-confidence, self-esteem and establishing solid values
• encourages participants to imagine they have become HIV infected and consider how that might change the dreams they have for the future

Session 4: Someone Near You Has AIDS

• helps participants respond, both in attitude and action, to others who are infected with HIV
• encourages participants to plan ways to be involved in ministry with persons infected with HIV
• identifies from God's Word the gifts of wholeness God gives us to be a community of faith

To view the curriculum and additional content for the course, visit www.lutheranaids.net/youth_curriculum.htm.


Teach, Reach Youth About HIV/AIDS
The ELCA Youth Ministries has developed a helpsheet to help youth leaders discuss the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS with youth. The helpsheet includes sections on talking about HIV/AIDS, myths and facts, ideas for action, and resources for learning more about HIV/AIDS. Visit www.elca.org to view the helpsheet.

Learning Activity Suggestions:

1. Use the AIDS Quiz on this website or create your own quiz to help get a discussion on HIV/AIDS started.
2. Brainstorm with youth what they already know and what they would like to know about HIV/AIDS. Send youth on a fact finding hunt using some of the web sites listed in the web links section of this page. Assign different sites to different youth or small groups of youth. Invite them to check the accuracy of what they felt they already knew and to find out at least one new piece of information about HIV/AIDS. Share information with the larger group once everyone has finished their hunt.
3. Prevention strategies are important. Explore ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS with your group. How can they spread the word to other young people? Discuss why people who know how to prevent HIV infection still put themselves at risk by participating in at-risk behaviors.

Middle School Learning Resources
Visit www.standwithafrica.org for teaching and learning resources for middle school youth about AIDS, especially in Africa.

This part of the Stand With Africa site has interactive games, teacher resources, learning activities, and related links.