Evaluation of Harsh Reality: a sexual health resource for Winnipeg street-involved youth

Abstract

Harsh Reality is a print resource aimed toward the population of street-involved youth. Created by a working group of street-involved youth in partnership with a research nurse, Harsh Reality is a unique hybrid of factual information, and art and written experienced submitted by street-involved youth themselves. Harsh Reality contains information about a variety of topics, notably sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. A case study method was used to evaluate aspects of both project process and outcomes. The case study was guided by three areas of study: street-involved youth's perceptions of the resource, retention of specific knowledge outcomes from the resource, and method of resource distribution. The primary sources of data were street-involved youth themselves. Findings of this study include a description of the target audience's perception of the resource, an analysis of specific knowledge uptake, an assessment of various methods of resource distribution, and possible suggestions for future resources.