Being uncomfortable about discussing sex and sexuality is one of the main barriers to good sexual health knowledge. This module is designed to improve practitioner’s knowledge of:
- What may occur during a sexual health check in order to best prepare a young person and alleviate anxieties and misconceptions
- Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), how they are diagnosed and how they are treated
- Contraceptive options and the pros and cons of each
- Free or inexpensive sexual health resources and where to access them
- Free sexual health services in Victoria
This module also aims to increase a practitioner’s confidence in engaging young people in conversations about not just safe sex but sexuality and sexual identity, developing an understanding of healthy attitudes and practices.
This module, like many sexual health resources that have come before it, runs the risk of opening with the WHO’s definition of sexual health then going on to reduce sexual health to a series of illnesses to be avoided.
This is not our intention.
Goofy Foot Press has published an outstanding guide to sex and sexuality ‘The Guide To Getting It On’ now in its 7th edition. This award winning guide capitalises on young people’s natural curiosity about sex, presenting balanced, accurate information and advice in a friendly, funny and liberating manner. The guide does not beat around the bush in calling out coercion, abuse of power or just plain ‘douchbaggery’ and inspires readers with examples of positive, respectful ways of relating.
We recommend practitioners to get hold of this guide as a companion to this module (and when you’ve finished with it, lend it out to young people!) Kindle versions of individual chapters can be purchased separately as can inexpensive PDF’s of the entire book.
