Lesson Plan for a Group AMIGAS Session

This lesson plan provides the steps to present AMIGAS to a small group of 6 to 15 women. The lesson plan for an individual session explains how to present AMIGAS to one woman.

Training Goals

• Explain cervical cancer screening.
• Discuss the importance cervical cancer screening.
• Find out current screening knowledge and practice of the women.
• Discuss concerns women have about screening for cervical cancer.
• Develop an action plan with the women.
• Provide information about where and how to get screened for cervical cancer.

Important Points

• Getting screened for cervical cancer can help women stay healthy.
• Cervical cancer is easier to treat if it is found early.
• It is important to get screened for cervical cancer.
• Women can get screened for cervical cancer in this community.
• Make a promise to yourself and your family to get screened for cervical cancer.

Steps

Note: Sentences in bold are examples of words you may say.

Step 1: Welcome

Introduce yourself to each woman as she joins the session. If the session is held in person, provide a nametag for each woman when she arrives.

Welcome everyone! My name is [name]. I am a [say your title] and I am from [say your organization name].

I am very happy that you have all decided to come to this group session and talk about our health as women! Today we are going to talk about a kind of cancer that women can get called cervical cancer. There are screening tests for this kind of cancer. You may already know about this. We will share our information and stories and learn together.

We will look together at a presentation. I will read the words out loud. As we read the presentation together, we will stop sometimes to play a game. At the end, we will do an activity together. The materials that we are going to use today are especially for Latinas.

Let’s be comfortable and friendly together. Ask questions anytime you want to. Does anyone have any questions now before we begin?

Step 2: The Web Game (10 minutes)

Use the instructions to help you play The Web. You could also play another game that you think would be good for this topic and that lasts no more than 10 minutes.

Let’s begin by playing an icebreaker game to get to know each other better. This game will help us see how much we have in common with each other.

When the game is over, remind the women that the game shows that we all have something in common with each other, and we are all somehow connected.

Step 3: Presentation Part 1 (10 minutes)

Introduce the presentation and read slides 1 through 6 out loud.

Now, let’s look together at this presentation. It’s about how women can stay healthy. It explains about cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening. It has some stories from real women.

Some of this information you may already know, but we can skip those slides and jump ahead. We can go as fast or as slow as you like. I will read out loud as we go through the presentation together. You can say something or ask a question whenever you want to. Let’s begin with the first slide.

Step 4: The Cabbage Game (15 minutes)

Play the Cabbage game to review the presentation slides.

We have learned together that getting screened for cervical cancer can help women stay healthy. Cervical cancer is easier to treat if it’s found early. Now let’s play a game called The Cabbage. This game will help us review the information we have just learned.

Step 5: Presentation Part 2 (10 minutes)

Read presentation slides 7 through 12 out loud. When you read these slides, you could show the women the speculum and cytology brush if you have them.

Now let’s look at the presentation again and talk about the female reproductive system and what happens during cervical cancer screening.

Step 6: Presentation Part 3 (5 minutes)

Read presentation slides 13 through 17 out loud.

Now let’s look at the presentation again and talk about why some of us do not get screened for cervical cancer. We will also read about some real women’s stories and see why they think getting screened is important. It’s important for women to get screened.

Step 7: Three Friends Game (15 minutes)

Play the Three Friends game to review the presentation slides and to talk about the reasons to get screened for cervical cancer. Three Friends will also help the group think about possible solutions for why some women don’t get screened. Try to help them think about making their own action plans.

Now let’s play a game called Three Friends. To start this game, I want to introduce you to these three women: Ana, Raquel, and Carolina. We will learn some things about them and talk about what might help them to get screened for cervical cancer. This game will help us see that there are solutions to the difficulties we have in getting screened. It can also help you with the specific things that make getting screened hard for you. Think about how you can move beyond those difficulties.

Step 8: Presentation Part 4 and Promise Sheet (10 minutes)

Finish going through the presentation by reading slide 18 to the group.

Give the women the promise sheets and help them commit to personalized action plans.

In the Three Friends game, we talked about difficulties Ana, Raquel, and Carolina have in getting screened for cervical cancer. And we talked about how they can move beyond those difficulties.

Now, I’d like you to think about the difficulties you have in getting screened. Many of these we have already talked about today. Think of the ones that apply most to you.

I’d like you to also think about how you can overcome those difficulties. What steps are you willing to take? When you have decided what steps you will take, I would like you to make a promise to do those things. Mark them on this page, “My Promise,” and take this page with you. It will help you remember what you have promised. Think carefully about what you promise to do so that you can keep that promise.

Step 9: Resource List (2 minutes)

Give the women the resource list and point out your contact information.

It’s important to make time to get screened for cervical cancer. We can all get screened in this community. You will have to make an appointment at a time that works for you. I can help you do that.

Here is a list of the clinics in your community where you can get screened for cervical cancer. This list tells where the clinics are, what hours they are open, and how to make an appointment. It also tells you other useful information, like whether the clinic staff speak Spanish. When you make your appointment, let them know if you need need help with child care or transportation.

Here is my contact information. You can contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Do you have any questions right now?

Step 10: Contact Sheet (5 minutes)

Give the women the contact sheet and ask them to complete the first section with their personal information.

We have talked about how you feel about getting screened for cervical cancer and I would like to have a record of our discussion today. This contact sheet includes some basic information about your current screening status and what promises you have made to yourself. I will keep this to remind me of your specific situation the next time we speak.

Step 11: Handouts and Appointment Cards (1 minute)

Give the woman the AMIGAS handout, any other brochures or fact sheets you have, and appointment cards.

Now here is some information for you to look at later. The handout can help you to learn and think some more about getting screened for cervical cancer. This is very good information.

You could also use these materials to talk to your friends or your family about getting screened. There are some extras if you want to take more than one.

I also have appointment cards that you can use when you are ready to make an appointment. When you make an appointment, you can use this card to write down the day and time. We talked before about how to be ready for the test. On the back of the card are some things you can ask the clinic about.

Step 12: Evaluation (5 minutes)

Close the session by asking participants to complete an evaluation form or survey.

We should all be happy that we made the time to talk about our health today. How confident do you feel that you will make and keep an appointment for a cervical cancer screening? How did you enjoy the group session? Does anyone have any questions?

Congratulations to all of you for attending this session! I will check in with each of you in the next couple of weeks to talk about what we learned here today, if that is okay with you.

When I talk with women about cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening, I want to know how the conversation went. I am passing out an evaluation form and I would be grateful if you would share with me how you feel about the program and today’s session. It is important that you be honest with your comments so we can improve the program. I will not be offended by anything you say, but instead will be grateful for the feedback. Thank you.

Do you know other women in this community who might like to talk with me about women’s health and cervical cancer screening?

If you have small gifts for participants, this is a good time to share them.