A Family Life Education (FLE) Conference for out-of-school youth was held on Tuesday morning at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi Building conference room.

The conference was convened and hosted from 4–5 October by the Apelu Sports organisation, which currently has an active program in leadership and gender equality using sporting values. 

In partnership with ONSIDE fund, which is a women-led organisation that looks to advance gender justice through sports, Program Manager Gabrielle Apelu said this this is something that her organisation is quite passionate about.

"FLE is based around values and how those values impact your life and sports mirrors our culture and the values that our sports organisation pushes is respect, support and family which in terms of sports is your team," said Ms. Apelu. 

"The selection of the participants is purely around the sports sector, the reason behind this is because when kids leave school they don't leave the sports sector. 

"They are still within the area and it is our duty as a matter of fact to ensure our youth are still having access to educational programs."

Ms. Apelu said the FLE comes under that umbrella as all participants strive to treat each other with respect within the relationship as well as provide support in difficult times. 

"How to support one another in times of difficulties and its a team effort and that comes around from a communal country like we are in," she added. 

The conference is aimed at educating youths in comprehensive sexual education and looking deeply into the modules that strengthen and expound on sexual health knowledge.

About 20 young people participated in the conference, which also marks the first time they've piloted the FLE outside of a school setting.

While the initial number of participants is to gauge how well they accept the training due to the sensitivity of the issues, the conference's facilitators also aimed to create a small circle of trust within which they will feel encouraged. 

With the FLE program, they have several partners which include the Ministry of Women Community and Social Development, Ombudsman's Office and the Samoa Family Health Association. They carry out and conduct similar programs for the youth in local communities.