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Zoe Simpson

Caribbean Congress on Adolescent and Youth Health

October 2022

THE PAPER

• The Paper is titled: Second chances” for adolescent mothers: 38 years of insights and best practices from Jamaica’s Program for Adolescent Mothers

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• Authors: Joshua Amo-Adjei, Sonja Caffe, Zoe Simpson, Michelle Harris & Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli (2002)

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• Publishers: American Journal of Sexuality Education �

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INTRODUCTION

• The PAM began in 1978 with 17 adolescent mothers attending at 1 centre

• To date, the PAM is delivered across island from 10 main centres and 8 outreach stations�
• To date the PAM has served in excess of 50,000 adolescent mothers

INTRODUCTION

The paper analyses the conception, establishment, scale up, and sustainability of the PAM which is delivered by the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation.

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This paper reports on the study of the Programme for Adolescent Mothers (PAM) which was developed to (a) provide second chances to girls whose education had been interrupted because of pregnancy and (2) to facilitate reentry into the formal school system.

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FACILITATION

(provision of psycho-social & financial support)

MODEL OF INTERVENTION

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What circumstances/contextual drivers led to the conception of the PAM? �
2. What is the evidence on the effectiveness of PAM in achieving its objectives? �
3. What factors led to national expansion/scale-up? �
4. What factors have helped to sustain the programme since inception

METHODOLOGY

The paper draws on diverse data and information sources:

• Programme evaluation reports commissioned by WCJF as well as those initiated by external funders�
• Published journal articles and dissertations that describe the social and cultural state of Jamaica prior to the establishment of WCJF �
• Excerpts drawn from the biography of the first director �
• Formal and informal discussions/interviews with former and current staff of the Center, and programme reports.

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RQ1: What Circumstances/Contextual Drivers Led to the Conception of the PAM?

• The high rates (31%) of adolescent fertility in the country which (1) meant that more teenage mothers were at high risk of incomplete secondary education given no formal policy on returning to school after childbirth; (2) posed a significant threat to human capital formation for national development�
• The emerging women’s rights movement in the 1970s�
• The GoJ’s promotion of liberal policies (eg. National Youth Policy)

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RQ2: What is the Evidence on the Effectiveness of PAM in Achieving its Objectives?

• Monitoring and external evaluations (5 since inception) which justified the financial, human resource, and time investments in the programme, and illustrate the positive impacts of the PAM on girls; their children; the country
• Data: 70% of the girls successfully re-entered secondary level schools; (2) 90% accepted a contraceptive method; �(3) ca 92% did not transition to 2^nd pregnancy/births
• Data which show economically, millions of dollar returns to individuals, and savings to the health system

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��RQ3: What Factors Led to �National Expansion/Scale-up?��

RQ3: What Factors Led to �National Expansion/Scale-up?

• The stability element in the PAM’s team, especially at the senior management

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• Extensive dissemination of the value of the PAM and advocacy for acceptance, support, and resources; reaching out to policy champions and gatekeepers within and outside the WCJF using multiple channels.�
• Monitoring and evaluation processes that highlighted the credibility and efficacy of the programme and justified the need for PAM�
• Diverse resource teams that brought on board complimentary leadership and credibility, skills, experience, resources, and stability to advance the PAM

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RQ4:What Factors Have Helped to �Sustain the Programme Since Inception

• Clarity in framing/conceptualization of PAM underscored by credible indicators/evidence �
• Retention of the original core batch of interventions�
• Maintenance of its long-term vision of institutionalized school reentry�

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RQ4:What Factors Have Helped to �Sustain the Programme Since Inception

• The general supportive policy environment; more so the Reintegration Policy which emphasizes the right of the girl to an education, and the retention of her place in the system �
• WCJF’s Leadership stability, capabilities and credibility�
• The cadre of committed staff—both full-time, part-time, and volunteer teachers as well as other ancillary staff including, cooks, cleaners, family planning counselors and providers.

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CHALLENGES

SUMMARY

• While programs to prevent adolescent births are crucial, there are several impeding obstacles �
• PAM has stood the past 40 years on account of framing /conceptualization that resonated with beneficiaries, local ownership, political commitment and fidelity to a core package of interventions�
• Compared with other programmes, PAM demonstrates effectiveness on each of the primary outcome areas: pre / post-birth continuous education; reducing risk of repeat pregnancies�

SUMMARY

• The PAM of WCJF represents a success model of conception, effectiveness and scale up of a program offering continuous education to pregnant girls, facilitating reentry to secondary schools and life skills programs to reduce repeat pregnancies.

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• The PAM demonstrates the value of sustained cross-sectoral support, spearheaded or fully supported by the state in providing opportunities for vulnerable girls to re-develop their capabilities.�
• PAM has a potential of becoming a global reference for longitudinal interventions on education and health for girls. Improving robust data management systems that are capable of tracking almost every beneficiary throughout their life course is imperative

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THANK YOU!