Aim: The State Government, recognizing the implication of a significant youthful population engaging in high-risk sexual behaviours, established Hello Lagos as an integrated youth friendly center (YFC) in 2002. The survey was to assess the need for the Youth Friendly Centres by the youths in communities.
Methods: The survey was conducted on In-School Youths (ISY) and Out-of-School Youths (OSY) in Agege, Ikeja and Oko-Awo; and on the health personnel in charge of the YFCs. Quantitative questionnaires (180), Focus Group Discussions (45) and Key Informant Interview (3) sessions were used to capture the responses of the participants.
Quantitative Key Findings: 119 (66.11%) youths across the three sites never knew where to access youth friendly services (YFC). 115 (63.89%) youths in the local community were unaware of "Hello Lagos". The youth accessed activities such as computer lessons and vocational trainings (60.00%); interactive sessions for separate sexes; watch a movie. They also accessed services such as HCT (65.00%); sickness and injury treatment; and sex education. Accessing the centres during weekends was more convenient for about 96 (53.33%) youths. Some factors that could prevent them from accessing the centre were: their family member; church members; incompetent staff; inadequate and inactive facility.
Qualitative Key Findings: Major findings include Poor publicity, lack of safe space; lack of equipment; low turn up of youths; need for more basic amenities and power supply; insufficient staff at all the center.
Conclusion (Program Practice): Through specialized nurse home visits, outreaches and quarterly parental engagement sessions held with parents of beneficiaries, concerns such as cultural beliefs, associated with family planning are address. Over 3179 adolescents with family planning services and 146 young moms have voluntarily picked up postpartum family planning after delivery to avoid the reoccurrence of unplanned pregnancies reoccurrence and foster future life pursuit.
