International Comparative Study on Community Youth Social Work

Author: Wen Jun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Guidance on Healthy Living
Unhealthy lifestyles can lead to problems such as dropping out of school, illness, poverty, and unemployment for adolescents, ultimately resulting in social maladjustment. From this perspective, measures like tobacco control, alcohol control, drug prevention, reducing premarital sex, and HIV prevention are all forms of protection for adolescents, as well as important tasks for governments and social work agencies. Tobacco consumption, alcoholism, and drug use are major social issues affecting adolescents worldwide, and they are increasingly becoming problems for younger age groups. The sociological interaction theory suggests that these harmful behaviors are habitual and are easily influenced and transmitted among peers who share similar emotions, perspectives, psychology, and behaviors, often referred to as subcultures. The bad habits adolescents develop are often linked to their negative interactions and lifestyles within subcultures.
Faced with the severe situation, countries and regions around the world have strengthened efforts in this area, particularly in the formulation of strict regulations. For example, tobacco control laws in many countries, such as Canada and Malaysia, prohibit anyone from selling or providing cigarettes to individuals under 19 years of age, with severe penalties for violations. In Hong Kong, China, the Social Welfare Department has launched the "Healthy Generation Program," offering drug prevention education to adolescents aged 21 and under who intermittently misuse drugs, helping them establish healthy lifestyles and solve problems without relying on drugs. This program benefits over 1,000 young people each year.
Regarding tobacco control, while governments focus on establishing systems, non-governmental organizations tend to emphasize micro-level interventions to prevent adolescent smoking. For instance, Finland, which was once the highest-smoking country in Europe, has numerous grassroots organizations actively working in families, schools, and communities. Through various anti-smoking campaigns and competitions, these organizations have significantly influenced the younger generation, leading to a gradual decline in smoking rates among Finns.
Since adolescents in Europe and America mature earlier than those in Asia, a considerable number of them engage in their first sexual activity around the age of 15. However, due to a lack of corresponding health knowledge, they often face issues like pregnancy and various diseases. Therefore, reproductive health and sex education play a prominent role in adolescent work in Europe and America. In the United States, it is estimated that over 13 million adolescents are sexually active, with over 1 million girls becoming pregnant each year, and the proportion of single mothers under 20 is also high, greatly increasing the risk of HIV infection. Educating and supporting this group is a primary task for many local adolescent social workers.
In 1995, an organization in the U.S. called "John the Revelator" was established with the aim of helping adolescents the "sexual liberation" mindset, which later evolved into the "Silver Ring Thing" program. The Silver Ring Thing primarily targets middle and high school students, with voluntary participation and a commitment to abstain from sex before marriage, symbolized by wearing a silver ring. The unique aspect of the Silver Ring Thing is that participants are not left alone and are not forgotten after making the vow. The follow-up actions are divided into eight steps and involve deep community and school engagement, with various activities organized in collaboration with relevant agencies to maintain enthusiasm among adolescents.
P12-13