Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study of SKILLZ Street Plus Among Adolescent Girls in South Africa

Brief Summary

Background

In South Africa, more than one in three women experience violence by age 18 years. Gender inequality and sexual and gender-based violence are closely linked to increased HIV risk among women and girls.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer implemented SKILLZ Street Plus, which is a 14-session, soccer-based program delivered by female coaches, in four schools in Soweto, South Africa, reaching 146 adolescent girls over 18 months.

What the study found

Girls showed meaningful increases in their willingness to discuss relationships and violence with trusted adults, awareness of support services, confidence, and HIV testing rates.

Why this matters

SKILLZ Street Plus may help empower adolescent girls to build healthier relationships and reduce their risk of violence and HIV, underscoring the value of girl-centered, community-connected programming.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

By 18 years of age, more than 1 in 3 women in South Africa have experienced some form of violence. Women are at a much higher risk of HIV infection than men. Gender inequality and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) violence have been linked to increased risk of HIV.

Objective

To evaluate whether educational activities through girls soccer empowers adolescent girls in Soweto, South Africa, to form gender-equitable attitudes; negotiate healthy relationships; respond to violence; and learn about sexual and reproductive health and rights to reduce risky relationships, SGBV, and HIV over 18 months between 2014-2016.

Study details

Study design: Mixed methods study (longitudinal, no control group)
Data collection tools: Baseline and follow-up questionnaires; HIV testing data; rapid ethnographies; focus group discussions with Coach mentors, female participants, and male participants in mixed-sex Grassroot Soccer programs (n=6); in-depth semi-structured interviews (n=19) with male and female participants; and interviews with Grassroot Soccer staff (n=5)
Participants: Girls in 2 intermediate and 2 secondary schools (n=146) (mean age 13.6 years)
Implementation setting: Soweto, South Africa
Study period: 18-month period between 2014 and 2016

Intervention

SKILLZ Street Plus (SSP): 14-session, 28-hour intervention using a network of female coaches to deliver the curriculum, mentor the girls, and facilitate soccer-based life activities.

Results

Statistically significant results were seen in the following areas (p-values not specified):
- Increased ability to disclose and discuss relationships and violence
  - I have talked about dating/relationships with an adult I trust in the last 3 months: 37%-pre to 72%-post
  - I have discussed violence against women with someone: 62%-pre to 84%-post
- Increased awareness of available health, HIV, and violence support services
- Increase in the utilization of HIV counseling and testing services
  - Ever tested for HIV: 12.3%-pre to 43.9%-post
  - Tested for HIV in the past 3 months: 4.8%-pre to 27.4%-post
- Girls reported greater confidence, self-efficacy, & improved decision-making. This may explain choices to leave violent relationships disclosed in qualitative work.

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Citation

Year: 2017

Authors: Sanders BF, Barkley CK, Advani N, Banciu RL, Das M, Cooper A, Moolman B

Sanders BF, Barkley CK, Advani N, Banciu RL, Das M, Cooper A, Moolman B. Changing the game for girls: results from a longitudinal study of a soccer based HIV and SGBV prevention programme for adolescent girls in South Africa [poster]. Presented at: 9th IAS Conference on HIV Science; 2017 Jul 23-26; Paris, France.

Other Resources

Cross-Sectional Study of SKILLZ Street Plus Among Adolescent Girls in South Africa