CPP to make ‘real deal’ peer-led sex education programme available to a further 600 teenagers
Schools invited to avail of training programme following positive evaluation in 2010
The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) today announced the continuation of the ‘Real Deal’ peer-led education programme which will be available to 600 teenagers this autumn and in the coming year. The programme aims to complement existing Relationships and Sexuality (RSE) education in schools and focuses on reducing the instance of teenage pregnancy. It is also available for delivery in the non formal education sector to early school leavers. It is delivered by one-time teenage mothers and covers subjects such as self-esteem, sex education and contraception, while the programme facilitators also recount their experiences as teenage mothers.
The Real Deal Programme was launched in 2008, and has so far been delivered to 568 teenage girls in 23 schools and training centres around the country.
Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, Research and Policy Manager of the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme said: “The Real Deal programme complements the existing school relationships and sexuality education curriculum and its strength is that it uses peer educators to highlight the possible ramifications of becoming sexually active at a young age and equip teenagers with the skills to make healthy, responsible decisions about relationships and sex. TV and films can tend to either glamourise or stigmatise teenage motherhood and the Real Deal’s peer educators are excellent at highlighting the realities of life as a teenage parent. The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme looks forward to continuing its support of this innovative project this year.”
A 2010 evaluation of the Real Deal programme found that:
• It changed the majority of participants’ attitudes towards sex and pregnancy.
• The most enjoyable aspect of the course for participants was the peer educators recounting their experiences as teen mothers and their openness in discussing the subject.
• Participants identified the topics of self-esteem, contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as the three areas with the most beneficial learning outcomes.
Anne Fitzpatrick, Programme Manager of the Real Deal added: “The Real Deal reiterates and reinforces the fact that the decision to have sex is a huge decision and shouldn’t be something that teenagers get involved in because of pressure from the media and/ or friends. The programme encourages young people to give serious consideration to this decision and should they decide to engage in a sexual relationship the consequences are highlighted to them, namely the very real risks of becoming pregnant and contracting an STI. The reaction to the Real Deal from both teachers and students has been overwhelmingly positive. A demand exists for a similar type project for male teenagers and research into the feasibility of designing a similar programme for teenage boys is commencing in November.”
Ends
Schools, youth groups or training centres wishing to avail of ‘Real Deal’ training, should visit www.therealdeal.ie or contact Anne Fitzpatrick at 085 194 2289/ email bf.realdeal@gmail.com.
For media enquiries contact:
Lorna Farren
HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme
01 814 6292/ 087 413 4174
Editor’s Notes:
1. The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) is tasked with developing and implementing a national strategy to achieve the following core objectives:
i. To reduce the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of information, advice and contraceptive services.
ii. To reduce the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and supports which make other options more attractive.
iii. To provide counselling services, medical services and such other health services for the purpose of providing support, after crisis pregnancy as may be deemed appropriate by the Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme.
2. The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships (ISSHR, 2006) is the largest nationally representative study on sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviour ever undertaken in Ireland. It was published by the Agency and the Department of Health and Children in 2006 and used a sample size of 7,441 adults, men and women aged between 18-64 years. ISSHR found that the median age of first sexual intercourse among 18 – 24 year in Ireland is 17 years, which tells us that most people wait until they are 17 or older to have sex. 31% of young men aged 18 – 24 and 22% of young women aged 18 – 24 reported that they had sexual intercourse before the age of 17.
ISSHR found that when compared with those who had first sex after 17 years, those who had first sex before the age of 17 were:
• More likely to experience a crisis pregnancy at some stage in their lives
• More likely to have had an abortion
• More likely to report having sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• More likely to regret that sex happened at that point
• Less likely to have used contraception at first intercourse
3. B4 U Decide
www.b4udecide.ie is a new website developed by the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme for teenagers and their parents, teachers and youth workers, containing information on relationships and sex as well as advice on how to deal with peer pressure and improving self-esteem.
