Rochelle is a member of Jamaicans Safely Tackling Adolescent Reproductive Health through the International Youth Speak Out Project.

I am a 17-year old student attending high school.  I began working in the Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) field, where I was trained to be a Peer Counselor by the youth arm of the Beth Jacobs Clinic: Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) in Jamaica. After my first year, I was nominated to be Secretary, a position I am currently holding. I then started a Peer Counsellor’s Club at my high school. In the first year, I served as Junior President, the following year as Senior Vice President, and in my final year as President. In that time, I facilitated guidance classes for grades 7, 8, 9 and 11, on issues including  puberty, sexual and reproductive health, drug use and abuse, sexuality, and abortion.  I believe that once there are people willing to hear the voices of young people, inform them, interact with them, and join them in the movement, we will start to see a change in young people—which is why I am so excited to be a part of the national youth leadership council, Jamaicans Safely Tackling Adolescent Reproductive Health, also known as J-STAR!