SHARE-Sexuality Education of Adolescents – HelMSIC Greece

Name of the activity: SHARE-Sexuality Education of Adolescents

Country/NMO: HelMSIC Greece

Program: Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Contact information: contact [email protected] to get in touch with the Activity Coordinator

Type of the activity: Continuous Activity

Category: Capacity Building

Focus area: Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Sustainable Development Goals addressed: GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

General description:

SHARE | Sexuality Education of Adolescents is an activity which aims to promote a healthy sexual lifestyle among adolescents and young people in general.The project is completed through 5 trainings which are delivered by HelMSIC’s CSE facilitators to adolescents from schools and shelter facilities within the NMO. The trainings mainly focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights STIs, gender roles and adolescent relationships and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Problem statement:

In Greece, Sexuality Education may be included in schools’ educational curricula since 2020, but this is only as an optional subject, which however the teachers in most cases are not qualified enough to conduct since they have received no such training. Thus adolescents have no concrete source for finding information about sexuality topics leading to misinformation and endangerment of their and their partners’ sexual health.

Target groups:

Children, Youth

Beneficiaries:

General population

Objectives:

1. To introduce to the anatomy of the human body and the reproductive system and promotion of respect to the unique characteristics of each individual
   2. To promote of safer sex behaviors and practices
   3. To realize of the qualities of healthy sexual and social relationships and the importance of forming such relationships between adolescents
   4. To acknowledge violence and absence of consent as factors that negate healthy relationships
   5. To properly inform on sexual orientation, gender identity, characteristics and expression
   6. To raise awareness on the stigma that exists regarding sex life issues

Indicators of Success:

Based on the pre-assessment and post-assessment forms that are handed out to the participants, the correct answers that they give after the completion of the program are improved by 60% in the questions regarding:
a. the anatomy of the human body
b. safer sex behaviors and practices
c. the qualities of healthy sexual and social relationships and the importance of forming such relationships between adolescents
d. violence and absence of consent as factors that negate healthy relationships
e. sexual orientation, gender identity, characteristics and expression
f. the stigma that exists when it comes to sex life issues

Methodology:

During the planning period, the content of the agendas of the program is evaluated by our external partners (Rainbow Schools and Cyprus Family Planning Association). Afterwards, in the beginning of the academic year, schools and shelter services are being approached by the LORAs of each LC. Before the conduction of the trainings, CSE Facilitators are being walked through the agendas by the NORA and they schedule focus groups with the teachers of the classrooms in order to discuss the dynamic of the adolescent group and then proceed to delivering the 5 trainings.

Plans for evaluation:

Each participant is handed out a pre-assessment form and a post-assessment form, regarding both the content of the training and the organizing process. An assessment form is also given to the school or shelter services that we collaborated with.

External collaborations:

We collaborate with 2 external partners, which evaluate the quality of the agendas that are being delivered, Rainbow Schools and Cyprus Family Planning Association (CFPA). CFPA is a voluntary, non-governmental organization. Its primary goal is to defend the rights of all people on issues relating to Sexual Health and reproductive life. Rainbow Schools is a voluntary, non-profit organization which consists of people that vision an inclusive school environment for LGBTQI+ people in Greece.