Getting a kick from helping girls make the right choices; A project aimed at slashing the high teenage pregnancy rates in the region is making a mark. MITYA UNDERWOOD hears what sets this apart from the rest

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 11, 2007

Byline: MITYA UNDERWOOD

IT's easy for young people to carry condoms and know where to get them, but how many people actually know how to approach the topic of using them?" asks Teenage Kicks' team lead Clara Shield bluntly.

"We all know it doesn't take much to have protection in your purse or wallet but the hard bit is actually using it, and having the self-esteem and confidence to make informed decisions about sex and relationships.

"Everyone knows the excuses about not using condoms but we want to give these young people the skills to be assertive enough to make sure they're protected.

"We talk about responses to the usual lines like 'I don't like using them', so that when or if they hear it, they have a response ready."

Teenage Kicks tries to take a different approach to sex and relationship education. Rather than using the traditional embarrassing pictures and graphic diagrams the team try to focus more on the emotional and psychological effects of sex.

The North East has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country so it's fair to say something isn't working. Introduced in March, Teenage Kicks hopes to reverse the high trend.

But it's not going to be an easy feat, especially when research shows young people are having sex younger and younger. Its not like being in school with a teacher. Young people are comfortable to ask questions, be open, get advice and not feel pressured that there's things they can't say," says Clara.

"We try to encourage women to have better self-esteem and be more assertive so when they're in a relationship they know what's okay and what's not okay.

"We do find a lot of young people know all about how to use a condom and where to get them but it's having the skills to make sure you use them that's important.

"We want to give them the encouragement to be able to do that.

'You can carry the condom around with you but when it comes to the moment, how often do women use it orask their partnerto use it?"

Nineteen-year-old Ashleigh Parkin is on the steering group for the project. As mum to one-year-old Jamie she is perfectly placed to give a no-holds-barred account of what the reality of being a teen mum is really like.

"I was in a relationship and on the pill so I couldn't believe it when I found out I was pregnant. I thought it would never happen to me.

"When I found out I was really frightened to tell my boyfriend. He was a bit older than me and I was worried about what he would say. I eventually told him and he didn't know what to say.

"Neither of us had been expecting it and I honestly didn't think it would happen to me. At the time I had friends who were pregnant but I didn't want to be like them.

"I hadn't ever thought about being pregnant. I just used to go out with my friends and do normal things. I've always been really careful but these things happen.

"I want other people to understand how big of a deal having a baby is. It's not all easy and I don't think people understand how hard it can be doing things like taxes and houses.

"I've heard people say 'I want to have a baby to get a house'. That's totally wrong. Having a baby is a big responsibility and that's what I want the other girls of realise."

The former Walker Technology College pupil is now a full-time mum but has also got her education back on track. After failing her exams she decided to go back to college where she is working towards her GCSEs. She has also enrolled on a hair and beauty therapy course, on top of helping out with Teenage Kicks.

"I heard about Teenage Kicks in the Chronicle, I cut it out and kept the article because it sounded interesting and it's something I've thought about doing for a while.

"I had sex education in school but it was very basic, I'm not sure how many people take any notice. They just don't think it can happen to them."

Today Ashley has come along to meet a group of young women who are doing a Connexions-referred course at Salon Skills in South Gosforth. All the women have left mainstream education and are working on a beauty therapy course before heading back to college or on to an apprenticeship.

Kate Cathcart, pictured left, is one of the girls in the group. The 17-year-old from Walker admits she found sex education in school hard to process and far from useful.

The former St Mary's RC School pupil says: "It's much better being spoken to by someone younger. You feel a bit awkward if it's a teacher or someone old, I definitely think there's need for a project like this.

"I think sex is really becoming something to brag about which it shouldn't be.

'There's a lot of peer pressure around too. I don't have good confidence at all so I can see why focusing on that might help, if we can get younger girls to see sex isn't a confidence booster it'll help."

Amanda Blackett, 16, of Walker, agrees that sex education in school is not up to scratch.

'They tell you things, you listen, but probably never think about it again.

'This is different because they're younger and want to listen to what you have to say."