Services and resources and information around sexuality, as well and AIDS should be advertised as widely as possible in as many of the spaces youth hang out as possible. ASOs can review programming targeted to men who have sex with men and ask themselves if young men under 19 are being reached by their programming. A harm reduction approach to prevention education for this group is more likely to realistically reflect the types of decisions young people make and the ways in which they make them. Peer counseling can be an excellent means of reaching young gay men. For many of the reasons listed above, this group might not want to deal with adults, or has trouble relating to them.
Peers are often more trusted and are already de facto providers of information.
The challenge for ASOs and HIV prevention strategies is to ensure that these peers have as much accurate information as possible. While peers can be effective means of education, they can also be influential sources of misinformation. It is also important to remember that some youth would prefer to speak with someone they see as an expert - often this can be someone older. Out gay, lesbian and bisexual adults can be important as positive role models and providers of HIV prevention information. For current health stories and features, check out our AIDS homepage.