Y-CIRCLES
Y-CIRCLES is an adaptation of the CIRCLES methodology used with adults, modified for working with youth.
For youth, promoting abstinence is an important strategy that can help delay sexual activity. However, complementary messages are also needed for those who are sexually active.
Effective sex and relationship education does not encourage early sexual experimentation. Rather, it is intended to teach young people to understand human sexuality and to respect themselves and others. It facilitates the maturation process, and helps youth to build up their confidence and self-esteem. It is designed to help youth understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity, while at the same time, it builds up the knowledge and skills needed to make healthier and safer choices.
With this in mind, Y-CIRCLES was developed as a tool to help youth be smarter, safer and healthier about sex.
Y – Youth
C – Creating comfort and connection
I – Information sharing
R – Reflection & Internalization of Information
C – Critiquing and testing ideas through inter active sessions
L – Learning to apply information in real life situations
E – Exploring new ways of being and acting
S – Start practising behaviour-change through Theatre/Drama-in-Education technique
The competing realities of youth involvement in sexual activity versus the strong belief among sexual health professionals, that sex and its related issues and consequences are better handled by adults, make sexual health education for youth a complicated issue.
It is with all the above concerns in mind that
Y-CIRCLES was developed.
