VOLUME 7 -
ISSUE 2 April 2009
Talking Relationships, Understanding Sexuality Teaching (TRUST) Resource Published for Teachers and Youth Workers
 The TRUST Resource for teachers, comprising of a DVD and lesson plans is designed to assist teachers in delivering Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) to senior cycle students. The DVD includes a drama; interviews with teenagers; an interview with Clinical Psychologist, David Coleman and interviews with health professionals on contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and crisis pregnancy. The lesson plans include: What we Value in Relationships, Communicating our Boundaries, Sexual Orientation, Responsible Relationships, Fertility, Contraception, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Crisis Pregnancy.
The Talking Relationships, Understanding Sexuality Teaching (TRUST) Resource was developed in a partnership between the Department of Education and Science, the Health Service Executive and the Crisis Pregnancy Programme.
The TRUST Resource will be provided to teachers undertaking Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) training, and details of the next tranche of training will be issued to schools in the autumn.
The TRUST Resource is also available through training to youth workers providing Relationships and Sexuality Education to teenagers. For details, please call the Crisis Pregnancy Programme on 01 814 62 92.
For more information click here
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Teenage Health Initiative (THI) for Young Men in the Blanchardstown
Research consistently finds that teenage men at risk of leaving school early have sexual health knowledge and information needs that are not met. This pilot was funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Programme as it addresses knowledge gaps in relationships and sexuality education in young people aged 13 to 17 years, many of whom are early school-leavers or those at risk of becoming early school leavers. The pilot programme was delivered to 114 young men living in the catchment area of Blanchardstown Youth Service (Foróige) through thirteen groups and a number of summer programmes. It was specifically geared towards engaging young men in Teenage Health Initiative training, as young men can be difficult to recruit to such training initiatives.
The aim of THI training is to delay the onset of early sexual activity by combining personal development programmes with the provision of accurate information regarding sexuality and sexual health.
The programme was externally evaluated and was found to have achieved its objectives. In addition a number of resources were developed as part of the training to meet the needs of young males in consultation with the participants. Significant learning in relation to communication skills, teenage health and sexual health and relationships in particular is reported as an outcome from programme participation as follows;
- Feeling confident in giving their opinion in a group with other boys rose from 45% before participation to 89% after participation.
- At the end of the programme 94% reported being very confident or confident in determining what makes a healthy relationship for them.
- At the end of the programme 89% reported feeling very confident or confident in being able to say no if they were expected to do something sexually they were not happy to do.
The Crisis Pregnancy Programme is continuing to support the delivery of this successful programme in 2009.
For a copy of the evaluation report, resources or further information on the training programme and key learning’s, please contact Miriam Ryan, Manager, Blanchardstown Youth Service on 01 821 2012.
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Forthcoming Call to Interested Parties for a Cost Benefit Analysis on Policy Initiatives to Lower the Cost of Contraception
A key strategic priority for the Crisis Pregnancy Programme is to improve access to and information on contraception and contraceptive services particularly for groups at risk of crisis pregnancy. Research commissioned by the Crisis Pregnancy Programme has found that the cost of contraception represents a real and significant barrier for specific risk-groups.
The Crisis Pregnancy Programme has identified a set of initiatives that, if implemented, will work to reduce the up-front costs associated with contraception. The Crisis Pregnancy Programme will be calling for proposals from qualified parties in the coming weeks to conduct a robust and defensible analysis of the costs and benefits of these initiatives.
The call for proposals will follow an open procedure where all interested parties will be invited to submit a proposal.
If you wish to be alerted when the call for proposals is issued, please email Maeve O’ Brien, Policy Officer, at mobrien@crisispregnancy.ie. A copy of the request for tender document will be sent to you when the competition is formally underway.
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Positive Options Resources Available for Health & Community Professionals
 The Positive Options campaign aims to raise awareness of the availability of crisis pregnancy counselling services among women. Research has shown that over half (55%) of all pregnancies to women (18-25) are crisis pregnancies (Rundle et al. 2004). There are currently 14 service providers operating in over 50 locations throughout the country providing crisis pregnancy counselling. These services are free of charge to women and are non-judgemental in their approach.
The Crisis Pregnancy Programme runs a national information campaign to promote the availability of these services on TV, radio and through print advertising. In addition the Crisis Pregnancy Programme has developed a leaflet, wallet card, website and SMS text service that also promotes these services. These resources are all available free of charge from the Crisis Pregnancy Programme.
To order leaflets, wallet cards or posters, contact the Crisis Pregnancy Programme on info@crisispregnancy.ie
or 01 814 62 92.
To download the leaflet (PDF)
Visit positiveoptions.ie
For a list of free, non-judgemental, trustworthy crisis pregnancy counselling services you can freetext ‘LIST’ to 50444.
1 Rundle, K., Leigh, C., Layte, R. & McGee, H. (2004) Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Study: A Survey of the General Population. Crisis Pregnancy Programme Report No. 7. Dublin.
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