ACET Russia is an informal network of 25 volunteer trainers, working in local communities on behalf of small NGOs across Russia, to promote healthy choices, positive relationships and prevention of HIV infection amongst young people. The network’s vision is to equip, support and build the professional capacity of these trainers to deliver their preventative work and mobilise the growth of the ministry into new cities.
The trainers offer relationships and sex education and counselling in schools, prisons and rehabilitation centres on topics such as self-esteem and alcoholism, all based on Christian values. This preventative work, which aims to reach 16,000 students in 70 educational institutions every year, is key in stopping new transmissions and reducing the HIV pandemic in Russia - because many young people are currently not aware of the consequences of risky behaviour.
This preventative work is crucial to helping young people build healthy futures as Russia is one of the only countries where the HIV epidemic is growing, with the rate of new infections rising by between 10 and 15% each year.
ACET Russia’s work in schools fills a much-needed gap as there are no nationally implemented relationships and sex education life skills programmes in school for children and adolescents.
Projects:
- Lecturing, education and conducting mass preventive meetings on HIV prevention and healthy relationships.
- Individual counselling work with teenagers.
- Sharing best practices of preventive work in cities across Russia.
- Providing training seminars for the leadership team.
- A conference to equip, support and connect ACET Russia’s volunteer trainers, who often live very long distances away from each other.
- Development and distribution of preventive literature and other prevention resources.
Pulse of Life
ACET Russia facilitators continue with their work whilst overcoming economic instability, no freedom of speech, political oppression and, recently, torrential flooding, to deliver their programmes to over ten cities and towns across Russia.
Thanks to your generosity and support... Read more.
Education and training
Thanks to your support, ACET Russia’s compassionate facilitators have worked in over 10 cities and towns in the last year delivering education to prevent HIV, STIs, unhealthy relationships and destructive behaviour such as smoking, drug-taking, and alcohol abuse.
Their informative lectures and seminars are delivered in various settings including schools, colleges, employment centres, orphanages, churches, and pre-trial detention centres. Read more.
A new start in Russia
ACET Russia volunteers work in cities across the vast country, supporting young people in schools, colleges, churches, and prisons with educational sessions. Topics include addiction, family values, love, relationships and sex, HIV prevention, and bullying.
Here, 18-year-old Evelina explains how meeting an ACET volunteer and receiving these sessions helped her turn her life around and make a new, healthier start. Read more