Sexuality Education in the New Normal: Exploring the Potential of Adapting the Dance4Life Empowerment Model to the Digital Environment

Abstract for Preformed Panel Presentation from the 2022 International SBCC Summit in Morocco:

"During COVID-19, a digital version Dance4Life's innovative empowerment curriculum, Journey4Life was developed and piloted with 5,810 young people in 8 countries. The Journey4Life is designed for adolescents with a unique combination of social and emotional learning and CSE. To study its effectiveness in terms of knowledge, confidence, gender attitudes, and behaviours, an empirical evaluation of the program was done in Indonesia, Pakistan, Ghana, and Kazakhstan.The digitalisation of the Journey4Life consisted of experimentation, testing, adaptation and contextualisation. Findings from a needs assessment in these countries showed young people having access to the internet on their phones and home computers and preferred using online engagement tools such as WhatsApp, Zoom, telegram and Instagram. Two versions were developed, a junior version for 10-14 year olds and another or 15-19 year olds. Dance4Life developed a Theory of Change for the digital Journey4Life and a measurement framework with outcomes indicators. Overall, evaluations show that the digital Journey4Life contributes to limited changes in knowledge, confidence, gender equal attitudes and socioemotional learning. Greater benefit of the digital Journey4Life appears to be on gender equality. Young people enjoyed the online sessions but expressed that a digital version lacks in energy and interactiveness as compared to in-person activities. Based on the lessons learned, we aim to develop new behavioural indicators and a further adapted ToC based on how sexuality takes place digitally. Dance4Life also plans to work on a blended version combining face-to-face and digital sessions and evaluate its impact on long-term outcomes."