sex essentials: an exercise in reorienting health services and developing personal skills

‘an exercise in reorienting health services and developing personal skills’

Kevin Scott and Nick Connor

•160,000•Large LGBT community •Approximately 350 PLHIV•Decrease in new HIV infections

Cairns

WHY? To improve the skills of those who work with

our core clients to be able to discuss sexual health, STI screening and testing so that

they can empower clients to improve their sexual health

HOW? A meeting of two interagengy RASHAC

(Regional Sexual health ,HIV and Viral Hepatitis

Advisory Committee) and YACI ( Youth Accessing Contraception and Information)

was held in Cairns on December 8th to discuss Sexual Health Awareness Week 2012

IDEA Funding for activities was available from

Communicable diseases branch and it was decided to host a

professional development day called ‘Sex essentials’ .Tuesday

Febth

The idea came from two previous forums in the Cairns

district which had been successful- the LGBT Aging Forum and Mental Health Services Forum both held

at Cairns Regional Council meeting room in past 6

months

Audience Health promotion workers, youth workers , health service & NGO workers who work with

our core clients , workers from other sectors who

want to know more about sexual health

Program

A subcommittee was set up to decide on the elements of the

program These included presentations

on:+What’s new in Sexual Health

+Risk Reduction +Talking about Sex

+Negiotation,being ready+Young People

+ Sex and Drugs +Contact Tracing

Theme+sexy services session,

+facilitator /entertainer ,music and to theme

+Valentines Day +International Condom Day

+Shirts for committee

TALK , RESPECT, ENJOY ,KEEP IT SAFE

Registration+Peolep were asked to register for the day early December

+the day would be free

+participants asked to do pre forum survey

+110 registrations (12 didn’t attend, 5 just turned up)

+certificate of attendance provided

The day itself !” Oh my god I haven’t had so much fun for such a

long time” “I cant believe they are saying that stuff”

“everything was handled with humour and respect” “wonderful informative day providing lots of

discussion for the trip home”“look forward to the next workshop”

Evaluation Pre evaluation was done and in the post evaluation 80% of attendees completed the survey on the day

+guidance for future sexual health, +feedback regarded the sexual heath services are

very dynamic and engaging + 77% of people would like more of these events and

18 people didn’t answer this question

The Endany questions ?

for more informationcontact

kscott@qahc.org.au or nconnor@qahc.org.au