Sexual Health & Relationships
A Whole of Community Approach
Local Assets
Health Promotion Practitioners and Officers
Funded from Department of Health Community Health. Health Promotion funding to implement the Achievement Program and Health Promoting Schools framework.
Health Promotion Officers know how to use this framework and can lead the process work. They often can’t do the delivery of the content, but can lead the process between schools and community organisations.
If HPOs are reluctant to provide guidance and support as sexual health and relationships is not one of their selected priority areas, often this work can also be reporting under ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ and/or ‘Safety and Prevention of Gender-based Violence’ health areas also.
Community Health Nurses
Referral pathway into community health provides health care and services to people of all genders and ages.
Services include GPs and nurse-led clinics, sexual health, mental health, alcohol, other drug and vaping services, youth services, allied health, health promotion and community programs. Often can deliver some sexual health, relationships, puberty content. Due to limited capacity CANNOT and MUST NOT be expected to deliver all RSE content to schools.
Community nurses can value add beyond what teachers can deliver themselves – for example, if you’re a sexual health service, that might be a session on your clinic, STIs and BBVs, PEP and PrEP, contraception, or terminations—topics where specialist knowledge really matters.
headspace
Referral pathway for young people (aged 12-25 years) with mental health, physical health, sexual health, drug & alcohol, educational & vocational support.
Community engagement workers can deliver mental health and suicide prevention workshop in schools which can link to healthy relationships, particularly healthy masculinity, friendship/romantic relationship breakdown, self-esteem, help-seeking discussions.
Women’s Health Organisations
Have education specific and evidence based resources designed to assist school leadership and staff to build capacity in the teaching of the gender equality, prevention of gendered violence and sexual health areas of the curriculum.
YouthLaw
Referral pathway for young people under 25. YouthLaw provides legal information and assistance to young people and adults working with or assisting young people (siblings/youth workers/social workers).
YouthLaw are also one of the lead agencies in providing information, advice and education in Affirmative Consent Laws and can provide presentations and advice to schools.
Sexual Assault Service Counsellors
Referral pathway that is free, confidential specialist counselling, advocacy and support to people who have experienced sexual assault including non-offending partners. CASA is a local Sexual Assault Service in Ballarat.
State Assets
Sexual Health Victoria
Provides free classroom activities, posters and resources for Relationships and Sexuality Education curriculum, aligned with the Victorian curriculum.
SHV can also provide fee-for-service professional development workshops for school staff, information sessions for families and carers, and in-classroom workshops with students.
Local Public Health Units
Victoria’s Local Public Health Units (LPHUs) work with the Department of Health (the department). Most LPHUs across Victoria have Sexual and Reproductive Health and/or Prevention of Gender-based Violence as part of their local catchment plan.
Get in touch with your local LPHU to find out how they can provide support.
YouthLaw
Referral pathway for young people under 25. YouthLaw provides legal information and assistance to young people and adults working with or assisting young people (siblings/youth workers/social workers).
YouthLaw are also one of the lead agencies in providing information, advice and education in Affirmative Consent Laws and can provide presentations and advice to schools.
Victoria Police – Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT)
Experienced and qualified detectives who are trained to respond to and investigate sexual offences and child abuse by perpetrators known to the victim.
SOCIT detectives can also deliver workshops to students and/or school staff about consent, sexual assault, reporting, and help-seeking.
police.vic.gov.au
Queer-specific Services
Referral pathway for young people for information and support, provide advice and support to schools through staff professional development, support schools to develop inclusive policies, procedures, inclusive school uniform, accessible toilets, advice for school camps/excursions, and gender affirmation plans, as well as resources for schools to display and information for families and carers.
National Assets
eSafety Commissioner
Provides free webinars for school staff, families and carers covering topics, including Cyberbullying; Online porn; Sending nudes and sexting; Screen time; Gaming; Child grooming and unwanted contact; information and factsheets for the most up to date websites, games and app that children and young people are using; and how to report online harm and abuse to authorities.
Other Providers
Contact
Tameaka Lakey (she/her)
Health Promotion Officer & BBV/STI Prevention
email [email protected]
Health Promoting Schools Framework
Download the flyer
pdf Sexual Health & Relationships - A Whole of Community Approach
In Health Promotion 61 downloads
Ballarat Community Health's A Whole of Community Approach to Sexual Health and Relationships supports the need for comprehensive Relationships and Sexuality Education.