PORT ST. LUCIE — You might not think a church pastor would need to learn how to be a role model.
But talking about sex isn't easy.
And sexual health is becoming a life or death matter for St. Lucie County children.
Total Man Ministries co-pastors William "Bill" and Mattie Shirley
Mangum are part of the first Adult Role Models class being taught in
Port St. Lucie by Planned Parenthood. They and several church members
are joined in the class by a bus driver, an educator and a single
mother with HIV who all want to make a difference in their community.
"Ideally, we all want kids to abstain," Bill Mangum said during a
role models class last week. "But it's not going to happen with
everyone."
St. Lucie County's HIV infection rates are among the highest in the
state. Prevention efforts often focus on Fort Pierce because the rates
for blacks are highest, but the infection rate for every woman —
regardless of race — is higher in St. Lucie than in most other Florida
counties.
Planned Parenthood has used the Adult Role Model program in South
Florida to empower parents to become their children's primary sex
educator. The organization trains people in topics including sexual
health, domestic violence and self-esteem and then requires them to
teach those same topics to their communities.
"What we really aspire to do is get people to work within their own
sphere of influence, their own group of people," said Kimberly Eardley,
Planned Parenthood's St. Lucie County program manager.
Classes started in Fort Pierce last year, and more than two dozen
role models have been trained. The role models have taught workshops in
classrooms, in their living rooms and, in one case, under a tree in a
neighborhood.
The Port St. Lucie class graduates next month. People already are
thinking about where they will teach. Total Man Ministries likely will
be a venue, but one role model also is hoping to teach an HIV
prevention class at a local bar.
"You're already making changes in your community just by being
here," said Katie Stephens, the Planned Parenthood staff member who
taught the group about advocacy last week.
• Adult Role Models is a training program that gives parents or
other concerned people knowledge and methods to teach their communities
about sexual health. It is offered by Planned Parenthood of Greater
Miami, Palm Beach and Treasure Coast.
Goal: Making parents children's primary sex educators
Requirements: 75 hours of training, providing at least at least two community workshops a month for one year
Training topics: Talking to your child about sexuality, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS and media influence on our children
Funding: The Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County
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