hba-allstaff.jpg

CHN Newsletter

Teens Produce PSAs About Sexual Health

Participants in CHN’s Teens P.A.C.T. (Positive Actions and Choices for Teens) program have developed a series of public service announcement videos titled “More Than Just Sex.” Made for teens by teens, the PSAs are aimed at helping young people develop strong self esteem and avoid common pitfalls, including unwanted pregnancies, abusive relationships and HIV and other STDs.

The PSAs, which are running on blogs and websites that reach teen audiences, also generated significant news buzz. Major outlets such as the Daily News, Fox 5, and NY1 covered the PSAs, in part because a handful of detractors objected to some of the content as too “racy”. CHN President and CEO Catherine Abate and Teens P.A.C.T. youth defended the videos in the media as effective communication tools, and CHN’s position was supported by the NYS Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In total, the videos have received more than 200,000 hits.

One of the PSAs is an effective parody of pharmaceutical ads that list a litany of a drug’s scary side effects. The ad features a young man discussing all the reasons he doesn’t want to wear a condom, and is followed by a voiceover saying “unprotected sex may not be for everyone… side effects include genital warts, swollen lymph nodes, painful urination, pregnancy…HIV… canker sores and…deep lasting regret.”

The “More Than Just Sex” campaign was born out of Teens P.A.C.T.’s “Somethin’ To Think About” project, a unique initiative that allows New York City teens to write, direct and act in professionally produced videos that address important issues facing young people.

Click here to watch CHN President and CEO Catherine Abate and Teens P.A.C.T. member Anthony Murray discuss the “More Than Just Sex” PSAs on NY1′s Inside City Hall.

Read more about the Teens P.A.C.T program here and learn more about the “More Than Just Sex” campaign here.