→ Marie Stopes International Australia, VIC

Snake charmers know how to keep danger at bay – and that's exactly what 35 recently-trained 'snake charmers' are doing in the Victorian towns of Mildura, Shepparton, Bendigo, Echuca and Bairnsdale.

At parties, pubs and clubs and other local venues, these young people are out selling SNAKE CONDOMS and answering questions about safe sex practices.

The snake charmers – also known as peer sellers – are an important part of a program to increase awareness amongst Indigenous young people about the dangers of unprotected sex, says Steven Portelli, former Indigenous Health Program Manager with Marie Stopes International Australia (MSIA).

"If you can talk to young people at the point when they're making decisions about their sexual behaviour, then you're in a great position to help them make healthy choices.

"Our peer sellers receive training from VACCHO (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) and learn about sexual health issues. They buy the condoms at a subsidised price and keep any profits that they make from their sales.

"People in the community soon get to know who the snake charmers are. It means they can approach someone confidentially, ask questions and buy a SNAKE CONDOM."

The SNAKE CONDOM initiative was launched in Mildura in March 2004 – the result of 18 months close collaboration between MSIA and local Indigenous young people, the Mildura Aboriginal Health Service, VACCHO and cummins&partners, an advertising agency from Melbourne.

The campaign aims to help reduce unplanned teenage pregnancies and the spread and incidence of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, among Indigenous communities.

"We heard very early on that we needed to develop a condom brand that was appealing, accessible and affordable. The young people pretty quickly hit on the idea of the SNAKE CONDOM, which is symbolic of Indigenous culture but also lends itself to a lot of fun."

The flavoured condoms come in the colours of the Aboriginal flag – red (strawberry), yellow (vanilla) and black (chocolate) – and are available from traditional outlets, such as chemists and supermarkets, as well as petrol stations, late night eateries, burger vans, pubs, cafés and, of course, peer sellers.

Accompanied by an educational campaign involving posters, radio ads and bus backs, the program has also helped change attitudes to safe sex practices.

A year after being launched in Mildura, almost 80% of people said they used a condom 'always' or 'usually' – up from around 50% surveyed before the campaign started.

With expansion into Melbourne taking place in early 2007, funding has yet to be secured for a national roll-out.

According to Portelli, there are three reasons why the SNAKE CONDOM initiative has been so successful:

• We have a great product that's fun, high quality, culturally relevant and affordable for young people.
• We have a sustainable business model – all money from sales goes into making the product available for other communities.
• The initiative works with the principles of Aboriginal self-determination and community control.

"Before we do anything else we sit down and talk with Elders, health workers and community members to find out what the specific community needs are and the best way to introduce the program," says Portelli.

Find out more

Marie Stopes International Australia
Phone: 03 9525 2411
Website: www.mariestopes.org.au/country-aust-proj2.html