Romance Academy Hits Norwich with Abstinence Message

|PIC1|Pregnancy Crisis Norfolk is due to launch its own Romance Academy at the end of this month in an effort to cut the number of unplanned pregnancies in the area among teenagers by boosting their self-esteem and promoting abstinence.

PCN director Biddy Collyer was inspired by the successful BBC2 series No Sex Please We're Teenagers and a visit to Norwich last November by one of the show's presenters, Rachel Gardner, who set up the Romance Academy ministry with the TV show's co-presenter Dan Burke: "Anyone who saw the BBC2 programme last year must have been inspired by the enthusiasm and compassion of the two Christian youth workers who pioneered the Romance Academy," said Collyer in a Network Norwich report.

Romance Academy took a group of 12 young people and led them through a five month abstinence programme during which they were able to see relationships in a new light by removing the sex factor.

"We believe it is an exciting opportunity to positively influence the lives of young people by challenging them to question the messages that society throws at them and helping them realise their value and worth, said Biddy.

Following the model laid down by the successful ministry, PCN will now set up a similar Romance Academy for a dozen Norwich youngsters to start on March 20.

Course organiser Melissa Snell, from PCN, said: "I was so inspired by what they were doing in the TV programme that I wondered whether we could do something similar in Norwich "

The 15-week academy programme will be run by two Christian youth workers, Sarah Woodger and David Lanchester, and will bring together twelve 14-16 year olds (6 boys and 6 girls) from the Norwich area.

The Norwich Romance Academy will include a weekly two-hour session on topics including building and sustaining healthy relationships, influences on behaviour, contraception and sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy and choices, drugs and alcohol and self-image. It will also include social events and a residential weekend away, all at no cost to the course participants.

"There will also be a graduation ceremony at the end to which the young people can invite their friends and family," said Melissa.

"We are looking for as diverse a group of young people as possible to take part in terms of faith, social, economic and ethnic backgrounds," said Melissa. "From previous academies in other parts of the country it has been found that attending Romance Academy can affect a young person's relationship with their parents in a positive way and also that they positively influence their friends, so we hope the academy will indirectly serve a wider community of people than just the dozen involved."

PCN will work initially with YMCA Norfolk, The Matthew Project, Norwich Youth For Christ and church youth groups to find young people to get involved in the pilot course.

"Research has shown that with good self-esteem, a young person is more likely to delay having sex and less likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour when they do become sexually active thus reducing the risk of unplanned teenage pregnancy and STIs and their associated cost," said Melissa.

"There is also the reduction in regret and emotional hurt that can often go with teenage sex as well as the positive emotional benefits of delaying sex. They will influence young people in the choices they make and hopefully impact other areas of their lives."

If you are interested or would like to find out more ring 01603 616580 or go to the information evening on Tuesday March 20, 6.30pm at the Fishergate Centre, Fishergate, Norwich, NR3 1SE. Parents, carers or youth workers are welcome to attend the information evening with a young person.