Training programmes

Redefining Femininity (Assertiveness) Training

Female students are trained to be assertive about their gender and sexual rights, particularly in relation to combating gender based violence, forced sexual relations and sexual harassment.

Redefining Masculinity Training

 The workshops also focus on involving male students in gender training with a view to break down negative social masculinity perceptions and traits which contribute to gender violence and sexual harassment.

Peer Counselling Training

Students are equipped with basic counselling skills, to enable them to counsel their peers with problems ranging from stress management to reproductive health issues. To date more than 500 peer counsellors have been trained by SHAPE International.  Students have noted that training has improved their lives, as they are able to help other students with problems similar to themselves.

Gender Equity Training

The training sensitises students on gender issues and how gender imbalances affect the society. The gender dynamics of HIV and AIDS are also explored in detail. The programme aims to encourage equality in relationships, and shared decision-making power. Trained students implement action plans of their choice to reach out to other students on campus.

Life Skills Training

Life skills’ training is offered to first year students entering campus life, the training focuses on issues of voluntary counselling and testing, setting goals and managing their education and social life.

Gender, Reproductive and Sexual Health (GRSH) workshops for first year students
First year female and male students are targeted for training workshops on gender and reproductive health.   The workshops focus on the sexual health needs of young women and young men, reproductive and sexual health rights and provide students with the necessary information and skills to enable them to protect themselves from STIs, including HIV. Male and female students are trained in same-sex groups due to the sensitive nature of some of the topics, which may cause discomfort when discussed in the presence of the opposite sex. Same sex groups also allow for the in-depth exploration of issues.
The workshop content is influenced largely by the principles contained in the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Plan of Action and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Establishment of Post-test Support Groups
Support groups for students who have gone for HIV testing are established, and are co-ordinated by peer counsellors who have also been tested. The support groups are modelled along the “Moving on Clubs” initiated by Population Service International and are open to students who are both HIV positive and HIV negative. The dual purpose of the support groups is to encourage students who test HIV negative to remain so, whilst those who test HIV positive receive support on positive living. To join the support group, a student needs to have gone for HIV testing and disclosure of one’s HIV status is not required. While the GRSH project does not provide for ARVs, SHAPE assists HIV positive students to access medication by referring them to relevant organisations.

Gender mainstreaming, Advocacy and Policy Development Training for key university administrators and key academic staff
University administrators receive training on gender mainstreaming, advocacy and the development of gender and HIV policies for their respective universities. It is important that administrators and academic staff have gender analysis and gender mainstreaming skills as these guard against them unwittingly perpetrating gender stereotypes and enable them to promote gender equity and equality in their own institutions. In particular, these administrators are engaged as key partners in lobbying for gender, HIV and Sexual Harassment Policies, quota systems to encourage female students to occupy posts in the Student Executive Councils etc.

Supporting university projects on gender, reproductive health and HIV
SHAPE works closely with the Student Affairs Departments in the participating universities and tertiary institutions and assists them to incorporate gender and reproductive health issues into their programmes, as well as develop policies addressing gender and HIV issues.

Leadership Training

Key to positive development is creation of leaders that are gender and HIV and AIDS sensitised. This is done through creating a platform for individuals to realise and exploit their full potential through various leadership development training.

Entrepreneurship Training

Young people are full of untapped innovative ideas that need to be developed into well structured business plans for the overall national development. Our entrepreneurship training is a holistic approach which develops young entrepreneurs who are also equipped in gender and HIV and AIDS knowledge.

Volunteer Training

Volunteers power SHAPE. The training inculcates the culture of volunteerism through volunteer education and empowers communities to bring the change they seek in their communities. All SHAPE training programs include volunteer training.

Dialogue sessions 

Talk shows

Talk shows give students a platform to talk about issues affecting them as they are growing up ranging from abstinence, condom use, premarital sex, to gender relations in their relationships. Students debate these issues and information gaps are identified. The gaps are followed up through seminars.

Seminars

In these sessions, invited experts provide correct information and dispel myths and misconceptions to fill the identified gaps. Students also have an opportunity to ask questions on issues they are not sure of.

Thematic Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights Seminars
Post-training activities meant to sustain dialogue around gender, sexuality and reproductive health issues are held in the form of weekly thematic seminars that are targeted at the wider student body. These thematic seminars target two core groups: first year females and males and final year females and males. The seminars for the first years seek to equip them with information around reproductive and sexual rights and the specific topics covered in the seminars are guided by the gaps identified by the survey that we will conduct before the GRSH project is implemented. The seminars for final year students, on the other hand, focus on Planned Parenthood with the intention of preparing these students for their future roles as husbands and wives and as mothers and fathers. We realised that this is generally overlooked by many programmes targeting youths in tertiary institutions.  The seminars are offered over ten weeks in each campus and target first year students (60% females and 40% males) and final year students (60% females and 40% males).

c) Edutainment
Students are encouraged to form associations, such as the drama association and the soccer association, where they can meet and have fun but also talk about HIV and related issues. Other leisure activities include sports galas, poetry slams and Christian faith study sessions. One of the associations in Zimbabwe, the music project has produced three albums to date. The album contains songs written and performed by university students on HIV/AIDS and behaviour change.

d) Student’s Clubs
Students Clubs’ activities are the key elements of SHAPE’s programs. Student Clubs coordinate and implement edutainment and communication activities on Gender & HIV and AIDS and other issues that affect students. This is an important platform that empowers students to be actively involved in addressing the challenges they face on campus. Student clubs are also an effective way of cementing positive behaviour change for students as they promote responsible fun and behaviour, as well as provide student with opportunities to put into practice lessons learnt in seminars, talk-shows and workshops.