SOMAZONE

when is the last time you visited the excellent website somazone?? When I logged on recently the lates questions that young people had asked were:

1. How long would you have to have had chlamydia untreated to be infertile?
2. How does your vagina smell like fish?
3. Can you catch thrush in your mouth from kissing someone?

If you havent visited somazone before I suggest you have a look: Here is their blurb:

Somazone (www.somazone.com.au) is an Australian website developed by young people for young people. Somazone provides fast, free, anonymous access to quality-assured health information.
Somazone is a program of the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) and aims to empower young people to address their physical, emotional and social health needs in a way that is relevant and non-judgemental.

SE&X course 2009

Hi all; lots of people have indicated that they are interested in attending the 2009 SE&X courses. Well.... places are already filling. If you are interested read about the course below and get in quick. I hope to see tou there!!

The SE&X Course (Sexuality Expression & Xploration) Youth worker education

Improving the sexual health of young people who are ‘at risk’

Australia has one of the poorest youth sexual health outcomes for developed countries. This means South Australia’s young people are experiencing more unwanted/unplanned pregnancies, more STIs, more abortions, suffering more coercion and violence in relationships, and less able to make healthy decisions or follow them through.

The SE&X course will improve the capacity and confidence of workers to engage with young people about relationships, sexual health, sexuality and wellbeing.
"One of the most enjoyable and steep learning curve experiences I have participated in, and the learning is fun…"
"Increased my confidence and developed my thinking around running programs."
"The exercises were different, confronting and relevant to youth work."
"Topic selection was really good – very broad and useful."

The course is accredited through the Australian National Training Authority and is designed around two units of competencies from the Community Services Training Package.

Course content overview

Topics covered include:
• what is sexual health work with young people and how does it fit with youth work?
• supporting diversity, including CALD, disability and Indigenous young people
• identity, homophobia and same-sex attraction, racism
• explicitness in sexual health training
• working with young men
• working with young women
• communication, negotiation and decision-making skills
• risk and safety
• legal issues
• contraception
• pregnancy
• sexually transmitted infections
• relationship violence and sexual assault
• domestic violence
• sexual health counselling
• designing a sexual health program
Methodology
The course sessions will involve small and large group discussions, interactive group work, guest presenters, videos and participation in online forums.
Reading lists as well as activities ideas for working with groups will be provided on a usb stick.
The course may be co-presented by the Course Coordinator and SHine SA Indigenous Youth Education Coordinator.

Courses in 2009
Course 1: 4–5 March, 1–2 & 29–30 April Course Code: SHN 9060026
Course 2: 23–24 Sept, 14–15 October & 4–5 November Course Code: SHN 9060025
Venue: SHine SA
64c Woodville Rd
Woodville SA 5011
Cost: $350.00 (GST free)

Places are limited, ensure you enrol early.

Flexible learning
An online version of the course is available for rural and remote workers, delivered over nine 3-hour sessions using a real-time online classroom. This requires the participant to have broadband, wireless or satellite connection to the internet.

Dates: 15, 22, 29 June 20, 27 July 3, 10, 17, 24 August
Course Code: SHN 9060027

Contact details
For course details or to enrol contact the Course Administrator on:
Tel: (08) 8300 5317
Email: SHineSACourses@health.sa.gov.au

Population Media Centre

This (Population Media Centre) is a facinating site that uses 'entertainment-education for social change. PMC’s programs encourage positive behavior change among the audience.'

Here are 3 examples of thier programs:

1. In Ethiopia, 74% of women age 15-49 have been circumcised.
   The harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (also known FGM/C or female circumcision) frequently causes health complications that can last throughout a woman's life and can even lead to death.
   To effectively address the issue of FGM/C, PMC developed and held seven Awareness Creation Workshops. These workshops were the first part of a comprehensive strategy to eradicate the practice of FGM/C in Ethiopia.



2. Violence against women and girls is a pervasive global problem, often deeply rooted in cultural practices. However, people are often willing to adopt new attitudes, behaviors, or practices if they are convinced that such change can improve their lives.
   PMC and the Emergent Media Center (EMC) at Champlain College have been awarded a grant from UNFPA to create an electronic game for adolescent boys aimed at preventing violence against women.



3. Population Media Center has received funding from USAID and UNFPA-Senegal for two radio serial dramas that will go on the air in 2008.
   The three-year project will focus on promoting family planning use and improving reproductive health.

While I was posting this blog the world population counter increased by 1472

Sexual Health Awareness Week -2009

Don't forget it all starts the 14th of Feburary: Go here to see what activities are on.

2009 predictions

I found this while looking through Cory Silverbergs blog: Go and have a look - interesting and frightening.

"more personally managed sexual health services, more (untested and ineffective) sex drugs for women, more (unscientifically diagnosed) people with porn addictions, and more bisexuals. One other prediction of hers that I heartily agree with that the term “sex expert” will be replaced by the term “sex educator”. All sorts of completely unqualified people will tout themselves as sex educators "

Children See Children Do

This video called 'children see children do ' is fantastic. Go here to see more on National Child Protection Week

Nasal Delivery Technology Update

Hi,

I thought i'd give a quick update on the blog that i posted a couple of months ago about the "nasal delivery technology!"

Well, they still haven't got back to me with any answers to my questions, so may give them a call soon to find out what's happening.

However, i recently attended a seminar on men's health, the speaker was a doctor specialising in men's health and erectile dysfunction and the question was raised about all the the ads around for nasal delivery technology.

Apparently these companies have been around for a while and have had 3-4 different names, changing it and re-launching everytime they get wiped out by consumer affairs. Each time they get wiped and re-launch under a new name, consumers need to go through the complaints process again!

Another point is that the men may start on the "nasal delivery technology" but when that doesn't work, they are then referred onto an injection technique (which is a minimally invasive technique that doctors use for treatment). These injections cost roughly $50 but it is sold to these men at a massive mark up, somewhere around $1000.

The nasal delivery technology company provides no promises of efficacy or safety and the results are not measureable.

The bottom line is that if a man is suffering from a erectile dysfuction, he needs to see a doctor and be checked over as it can be one of the first signs of other medical conditions and not to be too embarrassed to ask their GP about it.

IDAHO

Searching for Youth Advisory Team Members

The second story is looking to recruit more youth advisory team members. Here is thier advertisement:

THE SECOND STORY YOUTH HEALTH SERVICE

YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WE WANT YOU!!
The Second Story Youth Health Service is looking for 8 new members aged between 14-25 years to join its exciting Youth Advisory Committee. We are looking for young people who have experienced or identify with being one of the following:

*Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, *Guardianship of the Minister, *Diverse Cultural

Background,

*Same Sex Attracted, *

Mental Health Issue(s), *

Young Parents.
We also want young people from all areas of metropolitan Adelaide – City, West, North and South who have youth networks or connections with young people.

The YAC are involved in many activities such as: having FUN, undertaking training, meetings, assisting The Second Story plan for youth health services, discussing youth issues, going on school visits, visiting The Second Story sites, providing opinions to organisations that ask for it and being involved in interviewing new staff.
To apply please download the application form by searching our website https://owa.sagems.sa.gov.au/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.cyh.com for ‘youth participation’ or contacting Mellita Kimber, Youth Participation Project Officer on 8232 0233 or emailing Mellita.Kimber@cywhs.sa.gov.au.
Applications close on 20 April 2008.
Mellita Kimber Youth Participation Project Officer The Second Story Child, Youth Women’s Health Service 57 Hyde Street Adelaide SA 5000 Ph: 8232 0233 Fx: 8232 4247