Sexual Health Facilitators’ Guide to Responding to Youth’s Questions About Sex
Authors
Alison McClay of Child Trends and Valerie Sedivy of Healthy Teen Network contributed equally to this work.
For years, researchers have sought to identify the most common sex ed-related questions that students are asking in school and online. Students’ questions largely fall into topics related to the body, identity and relationships, sexual behavior, contraception/protection, and pregnancy. Some questions may prompt teachers or facilitators of sex education programs to worry that students are asking a question simply for shock value. While this does happen at times, students largely ask questions because they genuinely don’t know the answer, need or want sexual and reproductive health services, have worries and misunderstandings about sexuality and sexual behavior, or want to be reassured that their question is valid. It is important that adults who teach sex education know how to create safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments that encourage curiosity among their students and validate and respond to students—no matter a student’s motivation for asking.
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El Camino is a research-based sexual health promotion program that focuses on the attainment of participants’ personal goals and is grounded in the principles of positive youth development. Through a multi-day Training of Facilitators and supplemental curriculum-based resources (including key background information for implementation, as well as frequently asked questions and talking points within lessons focused on sexual and reproductive health), El Camino facilitators are given the context and skills to encourage curiosity, build trust, and answer sexuality-related questions with confidence and in a way that honors personal boundaries within their classrooms.
Recent updates made to the Training of Facilitator materials, in partnership with Healthy Teen Network, prepare facilitators to respond to youth’s questions that are difficult to answer or that ask about facilitators’ personal experience or values. This tip sheet highlights three steps to follow when responding to youth’s questions about sex that are covered in El Camino’s Training of Facilitators. While this resource is designed with El Camino facilitators in mind, these steps are applicable to anyone who finds themselves on the receiving end of a young person’s sex- or sexuality-related question.
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Acknowledgements
Suggested Citation
McClay, A., Sedivy, V., & Piper, M. (2023). Sexual health facilitators’ guide to responding to youth’s questions about sex. Child Trends. https://doi.org/10.56417/8174l5439j
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