The longer I work in sexuality education, the more I realize both the complexity of the work and the exciting opportunities myself and others in the field have to challenge ourselves to grow, adapt, and problem-solve. When I started working at the Annex, I was challenged to not only broaden my understanding of how adults engage with young people, but to also walk to the talk. I truly believe that having authentic partnerships with young people and framing our work through a positive youth development lens makes sexuality education more engaging, effective, and enjoyable. Which is why we decided to submit our proposal for SXSWEdu on facilitating sexuality education through a positive youth development lens. Today, March 8, we'll be facilitating a conversation about folks about positive youth development, sexuality education, and what that means for young people.
For me, positive youth development means celebrating the strengths and contributions of young people right now and supporting them in taking control of their lives during the tremendous growth of adolescence. It's about future thinking, but does not designate achievement, importance, and contribution to solely adulthood. The strengths-based focus of positive youth development integrates perfectly with a holistic conceptualization of sexuality, where sexuality education focuses on far more than simply the prevention of unwanted outcomes like sexually transmitted infections. Because, as the WHO said, sexual health is about more than the absence of illness and infirmity, it's also about the possibility of safe and pleasurable experiences. Facilitating sexuality education in this way means that opportunities are provided for young people to share their expertise, to explore their values, develop decision-making skills, and plan for their future based on their understanding of their own lives. While we, as sexuality educators, do have expertise, each person's sense of their self as a sexual being and their life is unique. We can provide facts and resources, but ultimately as young people continue their lives they have to be the ones evaluating their goals, experiences, and lives in order to make decisions about their sexual health. That can take a great deal of work and skill. Facilitating sex ed through a positive youth development lens can help young people develop these important life skills that are essential through the rest of their lives.
If you're not able to be part of our SXSWEdu conversation, check out our slides!