is a small charity who devise trend-setting youth awareness resources.
Like supershagland.com, a platform computer game where
players combat nuns, monks, and lots of beer to find their way to a Super
Shag at the end of the game.
You get to choose a prince or princess, select your own sexual orientation,
and collect condoms along the way. You also find out useful info on safer
sex and STIs.
Super Shag Land has now attracted over 250,000 players. Many filled in
e-response forms saying they did learn from playing the game.
"It worked almost completely by word of mouth," explains Neil.
"Nine out of 10 recommended it to their friends. It was supported
by the Ministry of Sound and Channel 4. It cost about £20,000 -
not bad when you consider how much the government is likely to spend on
their new campaign!"
Neil isn't sure government involvement in anything youth-orientated actually
helps, suggesting it works in 'risk-reverse': "If you're not willing
to offend Daily Mail readers, how realistically can you talk to young
people?
"We wanted to find new ways to reach teenagers, work with them and
find out what they're unsure of. The key feature is to use the things
they're into. Computers, games, text messaging, mobiles. Relating Cool
Brands to sexual health and HIV. You've got to understand the desire of
youth. Without
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the desire, you'll never effect change. You've got to
switch them on first."
Meet the players
One of the hardest groups of young people to reach when it comes to safer
sex talk is young black men - boys in this country currently having a
rough ride generally when it comes to education, of course.
Duane 'D' Jones (not his real name) is 17 years old. He's
involved with a young black men's group, the Playa's Klub, in Brixton.
Log on to www.supershagland.com and play the game
