Themes » Youth Friendly Services

How it works

  1. Read the articles
  2. Check out the stories, quizzes and reflections
  3. Train yourself with the accompanying skills
  4. Take action!

“What does youth-friendly mean for you?”

Youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services are services or clinics that deliver a comprehensive range of sexual and reproductive health services in ways that are responsive to the specific needs, vulnerabilities and desires of young people. These youth friendly services succeed in attracting and retaining young clients for continuing care and this can only be done when there is understanding and respect for young people’s sexual and reproductive rights.


Youth-friendly services should be accessible to all adolescents and young people regardless of your age, marital status, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity, occupation, social status, geographical location or ability to pay. These services must be confidential, non-judgmental and private.

Youth friendly services recognise the importance of the people and community groups that structure your choices and your life. Thus, services should involve and gain the support of those important in your life, such as partners, parents, guardians, carers, faith organisations, community leaders and schools. At the same time, service providers must prioritise your rights, including rights to privacy and confidentiality, and ensure that they do not compromise these rights by involving parents, guardians or others.

Youth-friendly service providers should work with programmes and schools providing comprehensive sexuality education and other youth sexual and reproductive health programmes to improve linkages between services, education and outreach.

These services can only be youth-friendly when you are actually involved in the structure and quality of the services provided. This is what we have called Meaningful Youth Participation.

 

This course discusses many different topics which can be offered within youth friendly services:

  • Contraceptives & STI’s

  • Pregnancy

  • Safe abortion

  • Access to information

  • Quality of services

  • Getting support