These organisations bring essential expertise, relationships and skills to the field of sexual health, yet without coordinated strategy, long-term investment and recognition of their role, their capacity to deliver sustained impact is constrained.A recent report published by La Trobe University shows that non-government organisations play a central role in supporting young people’s sexual health and wellbeing through delivery of a wide range of programs and services.
True Education Manager, Sheena Callaghan, was involved in the research project and agrees that while there is great work being done, it takes place in a challenging landscape. Responsibility for young people’s sexual health is dispersed across multiple sectors and government departments, with no national strategy or framework to set direction, define objectives or establish accountability.
“True is part of a national network of non-government organisations having really positive impacts on young people through school-based education, parent and community education, clinical care, health promotion, advocacy, capacity building and resource development. We learn from each other and have strong relationships within our communities.
“However, the funding and structures we work in are different and often short-term. That means programs start and stop, and there are gaps in services. Evidence-informed, long-term investment in young people’s sexual health and wellbeing has significant positive impacts on our whole community,” Sheena said.
The report, Building an integrated support system for young people’s sexual health and wellbeing: Strengths, challenges and future directions for the non-government sector, acknowledges that addressing these issues will require stronger governance, clearer accountability and a long-term vision that recognises young people’s sexual health as integral to overall health and wellbeing.
Featured in the report, a case study, Supporting young people with disability, highlights True’s effective integrated model, spanning direct education, resource development and professional training, underpinned by strong partnerships and sustained institutional knowledge that supports delivery of best practice approaches. True is uniquely able to deliver sensitive, curriculum-aligned education that meets the needs of students with disability and the people who support them.
Read the report here Integrated support for young people's sexual health, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, Our work, Sexual health and wellbeing, La Trobe University
CAPTION: True Education Manager, Sheena Callaghan, was involved in the research project.
