Hilary
Dixon
Getting
it right in SRE: what works… evidence from the SHARE project
SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationships
Education or Safe, Happy and Responsible) is a values-based school sex
education programme aimed at pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 in secondary schools.
It began as a research-based teacher-led sex education programme for 13- to 15-year
olds, and was developed and piloted by the Health Education Board for Scotland
(now NHS Health Scotland) and the Medical Research Council between 1993 and
1996 in Lothian and Tayside schools, and was then subjected to a randomised
trial. It is the biggest research programme on the effectiveness of sex and
relationships education to have taken place in the
The interim findings from the
trial show that in comparison with conventional sex education, SHARE is evaluated more highly by both
pupils and teachers, it increases practical sexual health knowledge and there
is some improvement in the quality of sexual relationships, primarily through
reduced regret. Indications from follow-up research have found modest changes
in the thinking of young people who received SHARE.
NHS Health
SHARE is now available in
Contact
for SHARE
Hilary Dixon
Me-and-Us Ltd
Sedbergh
LA10 5JN
Tel: 015396 22310
Email: admin@me-and-us.co.uk
Website: www.me-and-us.co.uk
HYP
(Healthy Young People) Hop
Getting it right through outreach - Abstract
Aims:
·
To raise
awareness of Brook as a young person’s sexual health charity.
·
To present an
overview of sexual health outreach work in the voluntary sector.
·
To share
practical examples of successful SRE practice.
Delegates
will have the opportunity to hear how sexual health outreach works in practice
in a voluntary sector setting. Jackie
will highlight how Brook works across agencies and settings in delivering SRE
(sex and relationships education) to young people.
Carol Robinson
Getting it Right Through HYPhop
Abstract
The
aim of this paper is to demonstrate how health professionals, educationalists
and young people can work creatively together to make positive use of their
unique skills and expertise with the aim of shifting the power to bridge the
gaps which are marginalising our vulnerable young people and preventing them
from accessing sexual health services.
An
invitation to work with BTEC performing arts students on a drama about the
impact of diagnosis of sexually acquired infections and unplanned teenage
pregnancy resulted in a tour of the performance to a variety of primarily
non-school venues including a Teenage Pregnancy Road Show and a Sex and
Relationships Education Conference. Critical and honest evaluation of these
events demonstrated the power that such ventures can have in reaching
vulnerable young people and how audiences can identify in a safe way with the
characters/actors. It became apparent that this art form was a very effective tool
in producing an emotional response based on the shared reality of the drama
students and their audiences.
This
joint working initiative highlights the importance of creating a shared team
culture with mutual respect and all players, that is, actors, educators and
health professionals having equal value in determining the most effective
interventions. Introducing the collaborative nature of this work in response to
high rates of unplanned teenage pregnancy and rising rates of sexually acquired
infections delegates will have the opportunity to view two scenes from the DVD
and to discuss how the HYP Hop workshops can help to empower young people to
make informed decisions concerning their sexual health.
Intended learning outcomes:
Ÿ
Understand how
inter-professional collaboration can challenge traditional power structures and
enhance the work of each of the organisations involved and achieve a positive response to young people's
sexual health needs
Ÿ
Have an
understanding of how relevant interactive theatrical techniques and a
participatory workshop approach can be used effectively to reach young people
including hard to reach and vulnerable groups of adolescents
Helen Knox
Getting It Right through Sexplained®
Abstract
What’s right for some
may not be right for others. When it comes to teaching contraception and sexual
health it is even harder. These are still taboo subjects. Despite encouraging
pockets of appreciation, we still live in a country and time of double
standards and hypocrisy. To start to get our message across to any audience, I
believe the main things are to exude enthusiasm, backed by up to date, qualified understanding and passion for your subject. As
much as we may think it can, that simply can’t come overnight. It’s hard, harsh
and difficult gaining acceptance and becoming trusted by the public with this
subject, let alone the media constrained by rules and regulations, watersheds
and audience complaint systems. However, once a chink appears, create your
opening, break down the barriers. Tread gently at first before more boldly
making your mark. Although you’ll be sorely tempted to, many times, don’t give
in! If you believe it, live it, love it, exude it. You
may appear to others to be certifiable, but when you fall down, pick yourself
up, dust yourself down and try again, and again… This subject is very hard
indeed, but at times, we really can make a difference
and get it right. In this session Helen
Knox will share insights into how she has achieved just that!
Barbara Hastings-Asatourian
Getting it Right: Top Ten Tips –
Abstract
Since setting up
Contraception Education in 2001 Barbara Hastings-Asatourian has used a
number of different media to get safer sex messages across to young people,
their carers, parents, teachers and youth workers. Initially board games, then video and then CD
games – all were designed with openness and discussion in mind, and of course a
sense of fun and involvement. More
recently in 2004 the Sexperience Workshop for parents
used music to evoke memories of first loves to help parents re-live the
feelings they may have forgotten, in order to understand their teenage
children’s feelings.
This session summarises
some of Barbara’s own learning from all of these experiences and from the
wisdom of others. In it she will shares
a number of things (the Top Ten Tips for Getting it
Right in SRE) which have been invaluable toher.
Contact Barbara via www.contraceptioneducation.co.uk
or phone 01457 850860