News

Health Resources in Action was recently invited by a government agency in Singapore to conduct a weeklong training session for youth workers, its second such trip in three years.

The trainings, conducted in early January, focused on building skills and knowledge for working with girls and boys about gender issues and violence prevention.

"We focused our discussion around what is best for young people and ways we can change how we deal with young people," said Laurie Jo Wallace, one of two staff members on the trip.

Facilitators worked with a range of people including school officials, community group members, people in faith-based groups, and government organizations.

"It’s exciting knowing that the value of what we're doing is international. We're trying to develop healthy, successful people," said Wallace, who has seen HRiA's concepts sink in with people from various cultures. "The message we're putting out resonates with people who work with youth around the world."

HRiA has worked with the YMCA, The Boys and Girls Club, and other organizations to conduct similar training programs to over 500 people per year. This most recent trip to Singapore follows another in 2009, when the U.S. Embassy hired health officials to conduct a 32-hour program for Malay youth workers.

This year's training was funded by the Social Service Training Institute of Singapore.