Posted on: 22 September 2005
‘Becoming a sexually healthy adult is a key developmental task for young people, as is the achievement of good sexual health.’ States Dr. Paula Mayock, Senior Researcher at Trinity College’s Children’s Research Centre, which will host a one-day conference on teen sexuality on Thursday September 22 nd.
The conference entitled, Adolescent Sexual Behaviour and Sexual Health: New Knowledge, New Initiatives,aims to open up the arena of adolescent sexual health to a wide audience with a view to furthering knowledge and understanding of this complex area of behaviour which is integral to the health and well-being of young people. Special emphasis will be placed on exploring ways of taking action to foster enabling environments in which young people can grow up to be sexually healthy.
‘In the past thirty years, Ireland’s culture of silence around sex and sexuality has altered conspicuously and we now live in a society where sex is more talked about than ever before.’ explains Dr. Mayock, ‘Young people clearly need to be encouraged and supported to learn about sex and sexual relationships.’
The three key areas to be addressed at the conference are: Young People and Sexual Health: International and National Perspectives, investigating international perspectives on adolescent sexual health and reviews Irish research evidence on the sexual health behaviour of young people; School-based Sex Education, looking at the Irish school-based organisation ‘Relationship and Sexuality Education’ (RSE); and Community-based Services and Interventions, which will draw on different models of intervention in the United States, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to examine community-based sexual health services and interventions targeting young people.
Speakers at the conference include Frances Shearer, RSE National Co-ordinator, Dr. Angela Diaz, Director, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Centre, New York Professor Peter Aggleton, Director, Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, , Mary Crawford, Director, Brook Clinic, Belfast and John Fitzmaurice, Project Leader, The Gaf Youth Café, Galway.
For further information please visit http://www.tcd.ie/childrensresearchcentre
