Qualitative endline findings from a study of SKILLZ Guyz among coaches and program staff in Nigeria

Brief Summary

Background

Adolescent boys in Nigeria have limited access to sexual and reproductive health information and support, leaving significant gaps in HIV prevention, gender equality, and violence reduction efforts.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer conducted qualitative data collection during the implementation of SKILLZ Guyz, a sport-based program delivered by trained male coaches in Nigeria, to better understand program effects and implementation.

What the study found

Coaches reported positive shifts in participants' attitudes and behaviors around sexual health, substance use, and gender equity. Coaches themselves also described changes, reporting more equitable beliefs and healthier behaviors, making them stronger role models in their communities.

Why this matters

SKILLZ Guyz appears to reach young men in spaces where health information is otherwise unavailable, while also building the capacity of coaches as community change agents. These findings support the program's potential for broader scale-up across sub-Saharan Africa.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

There is a gap in addressing the unique sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescent boys and men. Addressing this gap is critical in HIV prevention, improving gender equality, and reducing violence among adolescent boys and young men in Nigeria.

Objective

To explore if SKILLZ Guyz improves knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to sexual and reproductive health, HIV, gender equity, and positive identity formation among in-school and out-of-school adolescent boys over a 5 month period in Nigeria.

Study details

Study design: Qualitative findings from within a mixed methods study
Data collection tools: 2 focus group discussions with Coaches; 8 key informant interviews with YEDI program staff
Participants: Coaches, program staff
Implementation setting: Nigeria
Study period: February–July 2018

Intervention

SKILLZ Guyz: Ten 90-minute sessions delivered by male Coaches once or twice a week aiming to shift gender norms that have negative health impact for adolescents, such as perpetration and experience of violence, as well as an additional graduation activity.

Results

Coaches reported overall positive changes in the attitudes and behaviors of participants and noted that SKILLZ Guyz provides information not offered elsewhere
- “A participant disclosed that he was into substance use but now wished to change after he had gone through the program.” (SKILLZ Guyz Coach)
- “Most of our participants do not get the opportunity to be advised on life skills at home or in schools so it is great that we coach them.” (SKILLZ Guyz Coach)
Coaches reported more gender-equitable sexual behaviors and attitudes as well as overall positive change in their own behaviors to serve as role models
- “Before I joined to become a SKILLZ Guyz Coach, I did not believe in the use of condoms despite [being] aware of the risks of unprotected sex. But now I use condoms since this is what I preach to young boys in my community.” (SKILLZ Guyz Coach)

Conclusions and implications

Qualitative findings demonstrate how SKILLZ Guyz effectively improves sexual/reproductive health knowledge and gender-equitable attitudes among adolescent boys and positively influences coaches, supporting the program’s success as it scales across other African countries

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Citation

Year: 2019

Authors: Akanegbu C, Lee D, Miller S, Ivagba O, Coakley C

Akanegbu C, Lee D, Miller S, Ivagba O, Coakley C. Addressing adolescent boys' unique sexual and reproductive health needs in Nigeria: qualitative findings from a sport-based programme evaluation [poster]. Presented at: 20th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA); 2019 Dec 2-7; Kigali, Rwanda.