Launch of Key Findings from an Evaluation carried out in mayo of the REAL DEAL –‘ Live Life B4 U Give Life’ Peer Led sexual health Education Programme
County Mayo Schools and Youthreach Centres invited to avail of training programme following positive evaluation in 2012
The REAL DEAL – ‘Live Life B4 U Give Life’ peer-led sexual health education programme will be available to 300 teenagers this autumn and in the coming year. The programme aims to complement existing Relationships and Sexuality (RSE) education in schools and encourages teenagers to give careful consideration to the decision to have sex and also educates them about the consequences should they decide to have sex. 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.
Funded by the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme, The REAL DEAL Programme was launched in 2008, and has so far been delivered to 2,221 teenage girls in 52 schools and training centres around the country.
In 2011, a pilot initiative funded by the HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme and involving Castlebar General Hospital and Community Services, HSE West, in collaboration with the REAL DEAL team, was rolled out to schools and training centres in County Mayo. Peer educators from Mayo were trained and delivered the programme to 245 teenage girls in County Mayo.
Anne Fitzpatrick, Programme Manager of the REAL DEAL said: “The REAL DEAL programme complements the existing 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. Additionally it equips 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”.
Ms. Fitzpatrick added that “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 alcohol use and 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 2012 summary report into the delivery of the REAL DEAL in schools and Youthreach centres in County Mayo found significant medium term improvements on participants’ sexual health knowledge and attitudes to relationships and sexual risk-taking. This includes increased knowledge about STIs, the risk of pregnancy, the impact of alcohol and drug use on decision making and an increased understanding of the realities of teenage parenthood. The summary report also found changes in behaviour towards more consistent contraceptive use, including greater use of condoms and contraceptive pill at last intercourse.
The survey of 151 participants found that:
- Most respondents (76%) were not yet sexually active. Of the quarter (24%) of respondents who had sexual intercourse the average age of first intercourse was 15.6 years.
- Of the respondents who reported being sexually active, 97% had used alcohol at some stage in their lives.
- Prior to receiving the REAL DEAL Programme, most sexually active respondents reported using some form of contraception ever (93%) but only 57% of sexually active respondents used contraception at last intercourse. This increased to 87% at follow-up.
- Condoms were the most frequently reported contraceptive method. 62% of sexually active respondents used condoms at last intercourse. After receiving the REAL DEAL Programme, the proportion using condoms at last intercourse increased to 90%.
The most enjoyable aspect of the course for participants was the delivery approach and the resource; and in particular the peer educators recounting their experiences as teen mothers.
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.
Editor’s Notes:
- 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. - The Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Survey 2010 is a nationally representative study on sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Findings show that young people are more likely to receive sex education now than in the past. 86% of 18-25 year olds compared to 76% of 26-35 year olds and 57% of 36-45 year olds received sex education. The quality of the sex education they received has also increased with approximately 70% of 18-25 year olds saying that the sex education they received was helpful to them in their adult relationships, compared to 60% of 26-35 year olds. The age of first sex has not decreased over the last 7 years. The median age remains 17 years for men and has increased slightly for women, to 18 years (from 17 years). Approximately 90% of adults aged between18-25 reported that they used contraception the first time they had sex compared to 80% of 26-35 year olds. Those who received sex education that they considered to be helpful were almost twice as likely to use contraception when having sex for the first time.
4. 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.
5. The most recent Health Behaviour of School Children (HBSC) survey in Ireland found that 27% of 15-17 year olds report that they have ever had sex. http://www.dohc.ie/publications/pdf/hbsc_report_2010.pdf?direct=1
