About the 'Sext' Line

• Goals
• History
• Program Components
• Research
• Tour
• Pricing

Program Goals

The Sexual Health Text Messaging Campaign: An Innovative Approach to Reach Teens and Young Adults

Have you considered using new media technologies to provide information and improve access to sexual health services for teens and young adults? Read on for more information!

Program Goals:

• Deliver sexual health education to youth, 16 to 24, via text message
• Provide clinic and resource referrals through a zipcode locator
• Promote sexual health knowledge

History

In January 2009, Advocates for Youth and npT Labs, llc, with support from New Morning Foundation, began developing a replicable text message campaign for youth ages 16 to 24. npT Labs and Advocates conducted focus groups with 121 teens and young adults in four South Carolina cities (Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Spartanburg) to collect data about 'sexting', Facebook/MySpace usage and knowledge of sexual health topics such as emergency contraception.

Not surprisingly, young people reported heavy use of text messaging. About half were sexually active and only a third knew about local places to find help for HIV testing, emergency contraception, or birth control. Many turned to the Internet to find sexual health information (Google, WebMD, or Yahoo Answers). However, there was a general consensus that these provided too much information and often, did not provide links to local clinics for testing, emergency contraception, or treatment.

Guided by focus group findings, the project team launched a sexual health education campaign using new media technologies in South Carolina in November 2009. The campaign includes a text message line (called the ‘Sext’ line), partnerships with 25 local clinics, advertising through Facebook/MySpace, posters and postcards, and an intensive peer education strategy.

Bringing the Campaign to Your Community or State

With technical support and training from Advocates for Youth and npT labs, you can now replicate and adapt the campaign for your state or local community. The campaign’s key components include:

• Text Message Line: Youth can access the text message line confidentially 24/7 to obtain information about HIV, birth control, STIs, sexual assault and sexual identity. All content is authored by Advocates for Youth staff, bringing 25+ years of sexual health literacy experience and knowledge.
• Custom Keyword:
• Your agency can customize the text message shortcode or keyword for local implementation.
• Referrals to Clinical Services: With a simple clinic locator function, young people can find local clinics and resources through the text message line. These services are searchable by zip code and tags, such as ‘HIV or ‘pregnancy test’. The project team will assist you in identifying appropriate clinics, developing partnerships, and training clinic staff to participate in the campaign.
• Advertising: Bringing years of health communications expertise and national experience, npT labs will work with your agency to conduct focus groups, develop messages, and design state-of-the-art advertising materials that are tailored specially for teens and young adults in your community.
• Marketing: You will learn new and innovative ways to reach teens and young adults. npT labs will help you market the campaign through Facebook and MySpace, blogging, Twitter, and other new media technologies.
• Youth Engagement: As a leader in the youth advocacy field, Advocates will help your agency recruit, train, supervise, and retain a Youth Activist Network, a group of 8-10 young people who will serve as peer educators and peer leaders to promote the campaign.
• Evaluation: Using process and outcome evaluation measures, the project will track information and referrals and provide a monthly overview of your agency's impact.
• Training: The team offers online videos and tutorials as well as on-the-ground training to help staff design, implement, and evaluate the campaign. Trainings include information about the software and trends in 'sexting' as well as strategies for offering youth-friendly education and services.