You Know Different is the first nationally coordinated, youth-driven social marketing campaign designed for implementation on a small community level. The campaign has been successful due to a number of elements — one being the community collaboration that develops amongst participating organizations and the opportunities for capacity building and professional development that are offered to each participating organization.
You Know Different has been successful in encouraging linkages and strengthening relationships among participating organizations. Involvement on a community level requires organizational representatives to put aside their differences and work toward the goal of increasing the HIV testing rates of young people in their community. To support this endeavor, NYAC provides a skill-based competency training to HIV counseling and testing staff members on the appropriate and adequate provision of HIV testing to youth and young adult populations. The competency training covers topics of relevance such as adolescent development, considerations for providing HIV testing to youth with an emphasis on youth of color and sexual minority youth, and practical and reality based counseling and testing protocols for use with either standard or rapid test technology in any setting. NYAC also provides participating organizations with training on implementing You Know Different within their community complete with the necessary materials and evaluation tools.
You Know Different has been found to be an effective model for organizations that want to increase access by youth and young adults to HIV testing services. Here are some testimonials from participating organizations:
“We tested more young men who have sex with men in December (after the campaign) than in any other month”
“Young people that came in for testing brought their friends for tests”
“We saw an increase in the number of youth returning for post-test results”
“We still have youth coming in (four months after) for testing because of the campaign”
