Staying Alive/MTV

Overview

Staying Alive is MTV's global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign aimed at youth. As a new extension of this project, MTV is repackaging and expanding Staying Alive materials for use by community-based youth outreach groups in an initiative dubbed, “Staying Alive in a Box.” With one year of funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CCP is leading a series of research studies that will provide formative input into program development, monitor implementation and assess impact of this initiative in three countries: Kenya, Zambia and Trinidad & Tobago. The research will include baseline and end-line surveys, reception analysis, focus group discussions and feedback from listening groups. Results of the studies will strengthen the Staying Alive in a Box strategy and demonstrate the potential of local community-based interventions tied to an international movement to shift youth norms, reduce stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and reduce risk behavior.

Accomplishments

• Qualitative Formative Research: A previous evaluation of Staying Alive demonstrated that some youth may not relate to programming if they perceive it as “too Western or European” and not targeted specifically to youth. To ensure that program design and message development reflects local realities, preferences and expectations, CCP is collaborating with local researchers and program partners to conduct a series of focus group discussion among a cross-section of the intended audience.

• Assessing the Added Value and Cost-Effectiveness of Grassroots Interventions: Staying Alive is pilot-testing grassroots interventions in order to maximize the campaign’s impact in a cost-effective way.