In this growing era, people are freer, more independent and have access to set of information thanks to the internet. But still there are some taboo topics that people still find it difficult to communicate and find answers to. One such topic is Sexual Health. Today we are going to talk about – IT KIT, a kit designed to prepare you for your adulthood.
Sex education helps people gain the information, skills and motivation to make healthy decisions about sex and sexuality. It s high quality teaching about a broad variety of topics, exploring values and beliefs about those topics and gaining skills that are needed to navigate relationships and manage one’s own sexual health. It usually takes place in schools, in community settings, or online.
Answering questions is a major part of sex education. Two rules cover the ground. First, always give a truthful answer to any question; secondly, regard sex knowledge as exactly like any other knowledge.
– Bertrand Russell
The IT KIT prototype was developed by a team at ISL as part of the Innovation Next initiative with The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and IDEO. It helps newly autonomous young women to be prepared for any sexual situations they would want to engage in. The idea is to create a box with safe sex products that evolves over user’s age and preferences. A chat bot (IVY) powered by artificial intelligence via text messages and an optional parent integration to facilitate open, informed conversations between parents and teens.
A kit designed to prepare you for your adulthood refers to the K-12 programs that cover a broad range of topics related to :
- Human Development (reproduction, puberty, sexual orientation and gender identity)
- Relationships (families, friendships, romantic relationships and dating)
- Personal skills (communication, negotiation and decision-making)
- Sexual behavior (abstinence and sexuality throughout life)
- Sexual Health (sexually transmitted diseases, contraception and pregnancy)
- Society and Culture (gender roles, diversity and sexuality in the media)
The content of the IT KIT are quite quirky in design language to engage and attract the eye of a viewer. Majorly they have deck of cards for important questions and answers on topics like, What is consent? How to use condom? What to do if condom breaks? They also have comic strips to add a bit of humor to the exchange of knowledge. For certain serious doubts the AI chats are very helpful to know your surroundings and get help if needed.
This kit helps, educates and protects teen girls during a pivotal time in their lives and be like a guardian angel to look out for you and make you feel safe. The awareness that comes from it is always an additional advantage and this kit also helps kids engage in smaller groups and have open minded conversations, At times, it has proved to be an educator for some parents, teachers and vital part of society. It’s high time we start learning and passing on these value added information long with the basic education.
The core team who completed research, interviews, and the Innovation Next process included Margot Mausner, Julian Gindi, and Maggie Gaudaen. They were also joined by several others who helped bring the project to life, Laura Pursel, Maggie Famiglietti, Thomas Degry and Zach Saale.
Edited by – Jesal Patel
