The first of a three-phase project to present HIV and AIDS education to youths using a cultural and communication approach was launched earlier this month at a peer education workshop for 29 youths from the Young Achievers Club in St Ignatius, Central Rupununi.

The workshop was sponsored by the National Commission for UNESCO and the approach which also deals with drug abuse prevention and intervention underscores the organisation's response to the growing problem of HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean region, according to a release from the Commission.

The release said further that St Vincent, Haiti and Guyana have been identified to develop a draft prototype that will guide the approach in the Caribbean. Dereck Springer of Lifeline Counselling represented Guyana at a two-day workshop in St Vincent and the Grenadines in November 2001 where the prototype was developed.

And Guyana is now implementing aspects of that approach through the project in St Ignatius, Region Nine, which is being coordinated by Springer.

Meanwhile, during the second phase members of Young Achievers will develop a script which will be used to produce a 30-minute dramatic video, the release stated.

Copies of the video will be made for distribution to all regions of the country, the release added, and will also be used to conduct outreach peer education activities in the Central Rupununi.