Abstract

“Vale Sonhar“ prevention party: the first interactive exhibit about teenage pregnancy prevention and STD/AIDS in a Brazilian science museum

L.A. Bragante, C. Macedo Guastaferro, J. Horvath Cambauva Iglesias, M.H. Brandão Vilela

Instituto Kaplan, Educational, São Paulo, Brazil

Issues: STI/Aids and pregnancy are the biggest challenges in teenage sexual education. Last epidemiologic data of Brazil´s AIDS national programme points to a grown rate of AIDS among girls between 13 and 19 years old to 2.7 per 100 thousand people, while the index among male teenagers decreased to 1.9. “Instituto Kaplan”, in partnership with “Catavento Cultural e Educacional”, a brand new science musem in São Paulo opened in march/09, had developed a breakthrough work in sexual education: a permanently open prevention exhibit for teenagers.
Description: Using the “Vale Sonhar” educational project, that motivates the youngsters to adopt prevention, and psychodrama methodology, the exhibit has the objective of leading the teenagers (13 and older) to prevent STI and AIDS during an interactive game for groups from 10 to 20 people, 30-minute long, broke into three phases. Phase one, called “The Dream”, is the motivation to think about the professional future. For phase 2, “The Maze”, room changes and the teenagers find themselves in a maze facing 18 risks or prevention situations in a party. In the last phase, “The Voyage”, the teenagers, with the aid of a video, board to a trip to the future. The session finishes with an experience share between all the group members.
Lessons learned: In 10 months of activity, 5,376 teenagers between 13 and 19 years, 59% female and 41% male went thru the exhibit. Statistics show that 27% made choices that led them to pregnancy (in the game) and 38% made choices that led to STI/AIDS infection. This data confirms the importance of preventive actions for teenagers and the benefits of new innovation approach.
Next steps: To increase the number of teenagers students visiting the exhibition, implement this awareness as an annual programme at high schools and replay in others states this same methodology.
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