Advocates for Youth

Every year, 1 million teens become pregnant.  Every minute, 5 youth are infected with HIV worldwide.  Your donation educates and empowers young people to make informed, responsible decisions about sex. 

Why do we exist?

Advocates for Youth helps adolescents prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV and become healthy adults. We are the only organization focusing exclusively on adolescent reproductive and sexual health in the U.S. and in developing countries. We work with youth-serving professionals to help them implement appropriate services and programs, with the media to promote a favorable public opinion climate, and with policy makers to educate them about adolescent reproductive and sexual health needs. Through all our efforts, we strive to ensure that teens have access to accurate information and complete and confidential services to help them avoid risky behavior.

What have you accomplished?

Advocates helps those striving to improve the lives of teenagers. We are experts in teen pregnancy prevention, HIV/STD prevention, school condom availability, peer education, school-based health care, and sexuality education. Through our work domestically and internationally, we facilitate the sharing of "lessons across borders." Through our Resource Center and specialized clearinghouses, we collect and synthesizes critical, up-to-date information on adolescent reproductive and sexual health issues. Our publications, skills-building trainings, and communications work provide the vehicles for disseminating this information and advocating for comprehensive prevention programs and policies.

In the past year, Advocates has worked with 20,000 sexuality educators, health care providers, and other youth-serving professionals to develop effective adolescent reproductive and sexual health programs. In addition, Advocates assisted more than 5,000 activists, 800 policy makers at every level of government, and some 500 reporters on adolescent reproductive and sexual health issues. In turn, these efforts have directly or indirectly helped some five and one-quarter million youth worldwide make healthy decisions about sexuality.

	How do you help people in my community?		Why do you need my support?
	How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?		Can I Volunteer? How?