Project AIM
Program Overview
Project AIM is an evidence-based program developed by Leslie F. Clark and Kim Miller, owned by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) that decreases risk behavior among middle school age youth. Project AIM promotes possible future selves and as a consequence, prevents risk behaviors that jeopardize that personal future. Project AIM is designated as an evidence-based program for sexual risk reduction intervention through CDC and as an evidence-based pregnancy prevention intervention by the Office of Adolescent Health. Project AIM has been shown to increase sexual abstinence and decrease disciplinary actions such as school suspensions among middle school youth.
Project AIM consists of 12 50-minute sessions conducted by two facilitators to groups of 10 to 30 youth. Project AIM is implemented in small groups twice a week, over a six-week period in classrooms or community settings such as after school programs, etc.
There is also a Spanish version of Project AIM available which has been developed in conjunction with the CDC.
About Project AIM
Project AIM is different from most evidence-based interventions in that it is a positive youth development program. Project AIM encourages 11-14 year olds to:
- Consider their future in terms of a personal legacy
- See a picture of themselves in the future as successful adults
- Set goals to achieve their desired future selves
- Identify strengths and resources needed for future success
- Build effective communication skills
- Protect their future through reducing risk behaviors today
Project AIM is divided into four parts:
- Part I encourages youth to consider their future, including a personal legacy as well as the ways in which others support them, and what they want to become as an adult
- Part II allows youth to envision themselves in a future career and connect current behavior with success as an adult
- Part III engages youth in role-plays around communication and small group activities involving planning and decision-making
- Part IV provides the opportunity for youth to think about their future in terms of milestones accomplishments and the need to overcome potential obstacles.
Program Implementation
- If you are an organization interested in implementing Project AIM, please see the starter kit below for details about Project AIM training, how to order materials, costs, etc. Please contact the AIM Service Center for additional information on questions you may have
- Once funded to implement Project AIM, organizations enter into a contractual agreement with CHLA
- Once properly licensed, organizations send staff to attend a 2-day training to become certified Project AIM facilitators and order youth materials from the AIM Service Center to be distributed to the youth that go through Project AIM
- The AIM Service Center provides ongoing trainings and technical assistance to licensed organizations throughout the course of their funding.
Supplemental Session
Project AIM decreases risk behavior and increases sexual abstinence in youth without ever mentioning anything about sex. However we understand that in some states comprehensive sex education is required, so we do offer a supplemental session to be included in Project AIM if needed. The supplemental session helps youth understand how contraception can affect one’s future goals and helps youth think about sex and parenthood as significant milestones. The session also includes information about minor rights’ around reproductive health.