Youth Consultation Report

The St. Maarten AIDS Foundation in cooperation with Women's desk, Sector Health Care Affairs, Department of Social Cultural Development and the Education Department, have hosted "Lighting The Path To A Brighter Future" - a Youth Consultation on issues critical to the fight against HIV/AIDS. The consultation was held in St. Maarten on October 19, 2006 and has been a huge event with over 100 student-participants and multiple interactive presentations and workshops.

Despite the many logistical challenges the heavy rains brought with them, the events of the day can only be classified as very successful. After registration, the students were welcomed by remarks from Mrs. Arnell from the office of Commissioner Meyers.

The first session of the Tele conference started and the panel of students from every school present (St. Dominic, LU, CIA, PSVE) posed questions that were of importance.As moderator during the teleconference, each opportunity that was a learning moment was taken to elaborate on critical information on transmission of HIV, local treatment options, de-stigmatization and prevention. Since the Sub-Saharan panel were more experienced in HIV prevention a sizeable contribution was made on informative issues as well.

Key points of concern for the students to start with were the prevalence numbers of HIV, after those were discussed for mostly St. Maarten, the queries focused more on behavioral, practical and social aspects (religious queries; is it ok to have premarital sex, practical issues; what are the sales point for condoms, what can we do to create more awareness on HIV, social issues; is it ok to masturbate and what are the health consequences of these if any?).

While waiting on the second teleconference session, a very interactive and informative ice breaker was introduced by Clara Reyes in which the students were being reminded in a playful manner what stigmatizing does to people. Each student got a label ( sticker) on their forehead. And had to mingle, by looking at the reactions of the others they had to guess who they were.

After the second teleconference session, the students were grouped together, eight groups with approximately 10- 14 students were formed. Each group got a case study with the assignment to summarize what they believed was the issue at stake. Secondly they had to find and present the solid solutions to the identified issues to the larger group. Since there was a lot to discuss and a tight schedule to maintain due to the visit of Commissioner Wescot- Williams, the students had a working lunch.

The student presentations were preceded by a short lecture by the president of the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, Dr. Gerard van Osch, who focused his presentation on stigmatizing people infected by HIV/AIDS. The students had the opportunity to ask questions during the lecture, which resulted in issues on transmission, current global and local statistics, prevention of transmission, risk of infection and safe sex practices also being covered in debt.

The students put a lot of time and effort in presenting their findings to the case studies, and it paid off. The presentations became an excellent mixture of educating and entertaining. The entertaining factor portrayed itself in the form of skits, rap and poetry. Each presenting group was asked to summarize what the main issues were that had to be targeted in combating the spread of HIV Aids.

These points were then summarized by the students and facilitators and resulted in the Resolution. The Resolution ( ANNEX I) was presented to Shermina Powell who took the Resolution into acceptance on behalf of the Island Government of St. Maarten.

In closing the students of LU gave an extremely impressive presentation on the effects of HIV/AIDS worldwide.