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Source: http://www.redaware.org.au/blog/lets-talk-about-sex-overwhelming-support-for-overhaul-of-sex-education-in-australian-schools-2347/
Youth
Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS and the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition have called on the Federal
Government to formally include sexual health guidelines in the national
curriculum, following the release of a national youth survey today showing
overwhelming support for standardised teaching. The ‘Let’s Talk About Sex‘ survey of over 1200 young people –
commissioned by AYAC and YEAH – found that 80 per cent of respondents agreed
that lessons about sex and sexual health should be the same in every Australian
school.
YEAH
CEO, Alischa Ross said the survey was further evidence that the current
clinical, scientific and anatomical approach to sexual health education in
Australian schools was not meeting the needs of students. “This survey voices
the needs and expectations of young people, who are decisively telling the
Government that gaps do exist in the current model and that we need a nationally
consistent approach to sex and sexual health education in schools,” AYAC Deputy
Director (Young People), Maia Giordano, said.
“The
Australian Curriculum must include clear and definitive guidelines for the
inclusion of comprehensive, youth friendly and age appropriate sexual health and
development information. The curriculum should be delivered incrementally from
year levels 5- 12 and in all Australian schools.” ??68 per cent of survey
respondents strongly agreed or agreed that sexual health peer educators and
sexual health educators from community organisations were the preferred choice
of educator.
Further, 74 per cent agreed that they would prefer the person
teaching them about sex and sexual health to be ‘a little bit older’. “YEAH
peer educators – trained people around the ages of 18-26 who deliver sexual
health education – have been incredibly successful in engaging young people and
communicating information about sexual health and the safe sex message,” Ms Ross
said.
“If the
Federal Government is serious about addressing the sexual health in Australia,
then we ask them to provide funding for peer educators to run sexual health
workshops in every school across the nation,” Ms Ross said.
Ms
Giordano said the rapid rise in Sexually Transmitted Infections was a sign that
the current approach to sexual education in schools was failing.
“We need a
consistent national approach to sex education for all Australian school students
and the survey findings should inform the development of the new curriculum.
“We call on the Federal Government to listen to what Australia’s young people
are saying and introduce sexual health curriculum in all Australian schools that
meets their needs,” Ms Giordano said.
The
survey also found:
- Only
32 per cent agreed that health and physical education teachers were a preferred
choice for teaching sexual health in schools
- 98 per
cent said Healthy Relationship (respect/choice), Safe Sex, STIs and
Contraception (98 per cent), Accessing youth health services (97 per cent),
Sexuality (94 per cent) should be taught about sex and sexual health in
Australian schools
- 88 per
cent of respondents in the Let’s Talk About Sex National Youth Survey think
outside of schools, sex and sexual health information for young people should be
delivered through ‘educational websites/ online’, 82 per cent said at ‘youth
focused public events’, and 77 per cent said at youth peer education
programs.
The
survey data – measuring young Australian’s opinions, experiences and needs
around access to sexual health information and education – was included in a
joint submission to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting
Authority (ACARA) in response to the Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum:
Health and Physical Education report.
YEAH is
Australia’s only national youth led and Commonwealth Government funded safe sex
education organisation. AYAC is Australia’s non-government youth affairs peak
body.
Click here to read the full report of Let’s Talk About
Sex.
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