Many teachers, parents and health professionals are scared stiff about sex education...its getting better BUT many of the messages and strategies to promote good sexual health....are piecemeal and that if we can work WITH young people and figure out a plan to deliver the complete package, we could get onto a better set of the starting blocks with this issue...
(By the way the basic pattern of this strategy is also used in my post about diet, I've used this pattern with many health related issues. It really seems to work. Let me know what you think...)
Here's a suggestion. What do you think?
OK, so the dream is that young people have sex when they feel ready (and no earlier) and that those who are having sex, practice safer sex, protect themselves from an unwanted pregnancy and know what to do if or when there's a problem.
Our young solutions are divided into 4 chunks of things we need or want or things we can help with - to make this dream happen...
Information
1. We have illustrated leaflets about relationships and safer sex which are easy to understand.
2. If we want them we can get leaflets and condoms (and other contraceptives) at the clinic and youth center and in school toilets and in the toilets in the health clinics.
3. If we want to e can purchase or get condoms (and other contraceptives) in private.
4. We can get advice from a health professional in privacy if and when we need it.
5. We know where to find information on websites that answer our questions and have access to this.
6. We know where to go to find information (websites, books, magazines and newspapers that provide us with information and which can answer specific questions we may have).
Abilities and skills
7. We have opportunities to talk frankly about friendships and relationships
8. We feel confident that we will agree to sex only when we feel ready
9. We feel confident about using condoms (and other contraceptives)
10. We feel able to resist pressure to have sex without a condom
11. We feel able to avoid places, people or behaviour which may increase our risk of having unsafe sex or sex without our consent.
Inspiration & Motivation
12. We know what those close to us think about sex. We know what their values are. (parents and/or other adults). Although we don't always want to admit it!
13. That those close to us (young and older) want s to stay safe from disease and an unwanted pregnancy.
14. That our friends and other people we admire want us to start to have sex only when we feel ready and only when we feel the time is right.
Supportive Environment
15. That messages from school and the home emphasise our need to stay safe from disease or unwanted pregnancy and to use condoms (and other contraceptives) but they are not put across in a lecturing type of way.
16. That we can get hold of condoms and/or other contraceptives at a place and time that is convenient and does not embarrass us!
Take a look at the article on this blog...'The 7 Biggest Mistakes that Parents Make about Sex Education. Do you agree with it?
