Health

A look at sexual health issues. Where there is a PDF image there is a downloadable Adobe PDF file. Click to get Adobe Reader

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 What do you know about STDs?

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 STD quiz and answers!

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 Contraception – what, where, how?

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 What is – is there ‘Safe Sex’?

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 Dangerous or not? Make up a list or use the one provided with different types of sexual behaviour and try to assess which ones are the most and least risky

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 A look at prostitution

Exercise

Brainstorm words..Get a flip chart or large piece of paper and get people to shout out words to do with sex – this is to try to get rid of some of the embarrassment and giggles people may have

Exercise – anonymous questions

Give everyone a piece of paper and pen. Make sure the paper is the same size/colour and the pens are the same colour. This is an anonymous game where young people and adults can ask questions about sex, relationships etc. without being afraid as their identity is unknown.

Get one adult to collect in everyone’s questions, shuffle them together and then read them out one by one randomly. People shouldn’t try to ‘guess’ who’s written the question if possible! The group answers all the questions together.

Peer talks

If there is a young person who has had a baby – or a teenage father – see if they would be prepared to come in and talk with the young people in the group about the issues involved – the problems, the good things, the sacrifices etc.

‘Grill a Christian’ or someone of another religion/beliefs

Get a Christian youth worker, a Christian Minister in – and/or the Imam of a local Mosque – or a Jewish leader – making sure they’re OK and can deal with young people – and get the young people to ask them questions. You may want to check the suitability of questions before.

Don’t just pass this by because it says religion/beliefs. If you take religion out of your youth work you’re denying the experiences of probably 10-25% of young people and their families. Remember that even if you have think you have no beliefs, you do – atheism is a belief – you believe there is no God! You have to believe something. You may believe money is the answer to life, that’s also a belief.

We all have the right to hear other people’s views. A lot of youth work is ineffective in at looking at beliefs and faith but this is a vital part of the human experience. By getting in people of faith you add another dimension to the lives of young people.

Visit

The local baby clinic, the local STD clinic, if possible – or other sexual health projects, abortion clinics, health centres etc. Talk to lots of people to get an inclusive point of view, not just the prevailing points of view.