Date of Completion

5-31-2011

Document Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Peter Taylor

Abstract

This paper is my personal journey in developing the non-profit Pennies for Pause that addresses the issue of unplanned pregnancy in the 18-29 populations through the use of incentives, social media, long-acting reversible contraception and the development of critical and creative thinking skills. The paper begins with an insight into my family, how my own thinking skills developed informally throughout my life, and how my personal experiences lead to the development of the 501 (c)(3) organization Pennies for Pause. It also provides insight into my casual observations that I used to create theories, which I then researched, S.C.A.M.P.E.R.E.D, and then synthesized into the framework of the organization. The most important observations I made, and therefore the pivotal force behind the development of Pennies for Pause, are, the apparent disconnect between contraception and lifestyle, the use of technology in community building, and the marketing of long-acting reversible contraception. Instead of addressing contraception as a lifestyle commitment, the current model seems to be cemented in a 1960s institutional approach to contraceptive education. In this paper you will see how I have developed a new model to address unplanned pregnancy by using the current methods of the more popular non-profit organizations and tailored them to appeal to the 18-29 populations. My approach to unplanned pregnancy also addresses the issue of abortion by advocating for the more effective and invasive methods of long-acting reversible contraception. I also explain how my experience as an online student in a cohort group encouraged me to design a program that uses modern technology and community building along with distribution of incentives in the form of material rewards to hopefully modify behavior.

Download

Share

COinS