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Reaching Millions - Youth, AIDS and the Digital Age |
MOSY07 |
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| Venue: |
SR 4 (550) |
| Interpretation: |
None |
| Time: |
14:30 - 16:00, 04.08.2008 |
| Code: |
MOSY07 |
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Chairperson: |
Paul Meyer, United States
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 Click here to see a webcast of this session on kaisernetwork.org
Youth of the early 21st century live in an information age, in which information communication technologies (ICTs) have opened up unprecedented opportunities for learning, information sharing, and mass mobilization. Until recently, vast financial and human resources were necessary for achieving impact beyond the local or national level, ICT tools such as e-groups, blogs, e-petitions and voting, distance learning courses, online social networking and best practice sharing, e-consultations and needs assessments, information portals, wiki and SMS applications, etc are delivering results in the health sector cheaply and instantaneously.
This panel will explore the growing potential of applying ICTs to health and development, and also the challenges those with language barriers or those without internet access face in contributing to global dialogue and accessing information readily. The substantial number of young people excluded from internet-based organizing leads to a "digital gap" between those with access to the resources provided through ICT networks and those without. Panelists will also explore innovative approaches to bridging the digital gap such as UNICEF, TakingITGlobal and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS' new wiki -based interactive online site, Youth Challenge AIDS, which uses mobile phone technology to reach youth without internet access.
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Presentations in this session:
14:30
MOSY0703
Powerpoint (2.08 MB) | Online social networking and civic engagement
Jennifer Corriero, Canada
| 14:45
MOSY0704
Powerpoint (492 KB) | ICTs for networking and capacity building of young AIDS advocates
Joya Banerjee, United States
| 15:00
MOSY0705
Powerpoint (433 KB) | ICTs for SRH Education- Involving young people as authors and receivers
Thembi Ngubane, South Africa
| 15:15
MOSY0706
Powerpoint (14.8 MB) | Exploring the growing potential of applying ICTs to Health and Development
Lourdes Chara Estrada, Peru
| 15:30
MOSY0707
Powerpoint (2.24 MB) | Mobile technology platforms
Trina Dasgupta, South Africa
| 15:45
MOSY0708
Powerpoint (3.16 MB) | Paul Meyer
Paul Meyer, United States
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Rapporteur reports
Community report by Glen Brown
Information technology is allowing the development of new communities, new messages and new approaches to combating HIV/AIDS, and it should be no surprise that youth are leading the charge.
"Reaching Millions - Youth, AIDS and the Digital Age" showcased several approaches to using innovative technologies to support the fight against HIV. Key to all the approaches was the knowledge that technology can supplement, but not supplant, human connections.
Jennifer Carriero from Taking IT Global and Joya Banerjee from Global Youth Coalition against HIV/AIDS (GYCA) work in partnership to host web-based youth networks designed to "inspire, inform and involve" youth in social change. Taking IT Global has 200,000 members working in 12 languages to tackle a variety of social challenges including HIV. GYCA has 4500 young people working specifically on HIV/AIDS. Both initiatives host content by youth for youth and are highly interactive. The sites provide access to course and resources, action guides, and information. More important, both sites allow youth to exchange their knowledge and collectively build strategies for action. Chat rooms and discussion groups provide forums for youth to learn and mobilize - most recently, to mobilize international youth involvement with AIDS2008.
Lourdes Estrada showcased a vibrant youth project based in Peru called PuntoJ, which provides sexual health, reproductive rights and HIV information in interactive youth-friendly formats. PuntoJ is a portal for information that helps young people help themselves and each other; interactive features allow youth to share knowledge and experience and develop strategies. The web feature is supplemented by in-person outreach and workshops that help build youth networks.
An exciting new cell-phone based project in South Africa, Make Your Move, was showcased by Trina Dasgupta. Make Your Move, a project of LoveLife, is based on recognition that youth need opportunities more than just information. Make Your Move allows youth to build cell-based social networks; they create their own profiles, link to friends, and explore their hopes and dreams with interactive text features. Users are rewarded with points and prizes for answering quizzes, joining forums, etc. One component of the project allows users to find education, job and other opportunities in their local area. Just four weeks old, the network already has over 5,500 users and projects building to a million in the next year or so.
Another new phone-based tool has recently been introduced in Mexico. Paul Mayer from Voxiva presented an update on VivaNet, a free service where people living with HIV/AIDS can get customized treatment information, health tips and scheduling reminders via their phone. Their doctors can be linked in to the system to answer inquiries and recieve progress reports. PLWHIVs can also opt to build a phone social network of their family and friends to help with moral support.
Thembi Ngubane, a young HIV positive woman from South Africa, reminded the audience that simple technology can play a powerful communication role. Her use of photos and voice-recorded diaries provided a poignant message of perseverance.
Youth report by Mara Brotman
The key theme of this session addressed the questions: What can technology do? What kind of meaningful change can take place?
Speakers introduced their technological platforms, ranging from Taking It Global websites, audio diaries from South Africa, community-based websites in Latin America, and mobile cellular phone social networking.
Moderator Paul Meyer emphasized that technology is wonderful but “without humans it is nothing. There must be people behind these technologies.”
Meyer noted that 3 million new cell phones are made in the world every day. Mobile phone reach can far outweigh health systems and even the internet. Real time data can be shared very quickly this way.
Web-Based Technology
Jennifer Corriero of Taking It Global congratulated the great work of the Fuerza Joven, Mexico Youth Force. Young people have been collaborating for 2 years, since AIDS 2006. Taking It Global (TIG) and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) work together to be a showcase of content created by youth and youth-friendly and educational to raise awareness of global issues. These websites facilitate many interactive discussions.
Young people are heavily online and it is vital to use web technology to move ideas into reality, with, for example, TIG’s Action Guides. Youth use TIG to be informed about local activities and opportunities for collaboration. TIG and GYCA emphasize the power of images in engaging their peers. Another useful technology is film – digital shorts are created by youth and uploaded to the website to be enjoyed by young people around the world.
Joya Banerjee of GYCA shared the success story of connecting young people in India where sexual education has been outlawed in 12 states. Indian members from across the country can engage each other in their work advocating for comprehensive sexual education.
Banerjee also noted that websites should “connect with the many young people who do not have internet access, those who are most at risk for infection.”
www.gyca.org
Mobile Phone and Audio Technology
Thembi Ngubane of South Africa has been recording an audio diary since 2004. Thembi uses audio technology to tell the story of how she lives with HIV. She records her thoughts and experiences on tape, charting her physical and emotional journey from the age of 16 when she was first infected.
Thembi played clips of her production, including one in which she sends audio dispatches as her CD4 count lowers and she becomes ill. The technology allows an incredibly intimate insight into Thembi’s story and what she faces. Her story has been used in schools in South Africa in HIV/AIDS curriculum.
www.aidsdiary.org
Punto J facilitated a video project, website, and promoted the website in person in local areas like markets. Punto J is a space by and for young people. Popular sections include comics, advice on sexuality, Zampate, an advice column. Also offers in-person training, mini-workshops on HIV/AIDS education, sexual health, and more. Believes connectivity helps young people encounter each other and develop ourselves
www.puntoj.com.pe
Trina Dascuda outlined mobile technology of LoveLife and MyMsta which they see as an ‘excercize in identity’. MyMsta is the world’s first cell-based social network dedicated to youth empowerment and HIV prevention. Features include message boards, economic tools, links, employment, personality quizzes, HIV/AIDS information, etc. This is to enhance the important face-to-face contact from peer educators.
Dascuda stated that young people have ‘gotten the message’ about HIV prevention. What continues to drive HIV is the their response to the message, but their response to their circumstances – economic, institutional, etc.
Over 75% of South African youth own mobile phones, 71% in informal settlements and 67% in rural areas. Only 6% of South Africans have internet access via computers but the country’s mobile inter usage via WAP is one of the highest in the world.
www.lovelife.org.za
Questions from the audience fueled a debate on whether online social networking depersonalizes friendships. Jennifer of TIG and Joya of GYCA replied that the tools are incredibly useful in most parts of the world where internet saturation is much lower. And their participants report feeling more of a connection between people who work in the same issues and share progressive ideas through the web, whether they live in the same neighborhood or across the world.
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