The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 6 February 2024 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Alicia Howe, Waseem Omar, Erin Hector, and Josi Beare.

About the Seminar:

Assessing feasibility & acceptability of the "Love Land" mobile app: supporting young people to safely transition into adulthood through comprehensive sexuality education

To situate our research, we will discuss the current state of comprehensive sexual education (CSE) in our country while also providing rationale for a new mobile CSE application “Love Land” as a potential positive contribution to our current educational context and environment. We will explore in-depth feedback on the application, from the perspective of both adolescents and youth-focused community-based organisations.

We will provide a thorough qualitative assessment of how Love Land can assist in educating young individuals about CSE interactively and engagingly, one which is conscious of the new era of technology we find ourselves. Thesis 1. Through a positive youth development theoretical framework, we centered participants’ voices and utilised strengths-based methodology. We worked with adolescents aged 13-17 years (n=24), inviting them to interact with the Love Land application and participate in focus group discussion, where we gained extensive feedback from our participants regarding the acceptability of Love Land. Thesis 2. Using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework, the study explored the feasibility of mHealth interventions like Love Land. Interviews with NGO leadership, facilitators, social workers and other staff members (n=11) aimed to identify barriers, enhance information access, and facilitate communication between healthcare providers and application users.

Speakers

Alicia Howe is a psychology honours graduate, with keen interest in developmental psychology to improve children’s lives.

Waseem Omar is a psychology honours graduate and an e-learning developer. Mostly, he enjoys being a dad.

Erin Hector is a psychology honours graduate, who just began a counselling internship with Hope House.

Josi Beare is a psychology masters student and currently working with the UCT Psychology department. She is interested in how education can address South Africa’s social issues.

 

 6 February 2024
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa