Today the Health Protection Agency confirmed again that rates of sexually transmitted infection are still rising amongst young people. In all my conversations today i have reminded people that if we encourage more people to test, we will find out about more infections that were previously undiagnosed. Doubtless for a small minority this will be confirmation of the sexual immorality amongst the young. I do not agree - I think it is confirmation that we are not doing enough to support young people to make good decisions and choices that enable them to protect their physical and emotional health. As a country we have a collective responsibility to;
Work to change our unhelpful culture where sex is viewed negatively and sexually active young people are seen as out of control. We need to help young people feel confident about relationships and sex, and equip them with the skills to make good decisions so they can enjoy and take responsibility for their sexual health
Ensure sexual health services do not see continued disinvestment in ongoing efforts to balance the books. If this continues, we will see the consequences in increased teenage pregnancy and STI rates in a very short time
Commit to make Personal, Social and Health Education statutory in schools so every child learns about sex, relationships and sexuality wherever they live.
Currently too many receive little if any good sex education.
Invest in innovative community outreach programmes that reach out to the most vulnerable, building bridges between them and services and helping them take control of their sexual lives.
Friday, 23 November 2007
Sunday, 11 November 2007
What words for teaching about love?
Love and the overwhelming power of the feelings connected with love have been on the top of my mind over the last few weeks. At a friends wedding the lump in my throat was very big as speeches were made - the love was palpable and it felt amazing. A couple of friends have also had babies this month and alll parents are just describing the immediate strength of their love. And last night I went to a friends pre-wedding party (a modern day hen do, with men and women - is that a sten or a hag do?)
As often happens at these party's those who have already committed to marriage think nothing of the huge decision that has been made - to commit to someone for the rest of their life - and those who have not yet got to that point, stand in the corner and wander how she knows this is the right time and the right one - even though we can tell by the sparkle in her eyes and the ways she is that it is the right time. Last night a friend and I talked about how we can communicate the concept of love to young people so they understand it, look for it, feel it, work at it, treasure it and are not be fooled by it. In a world that is perhaps increasingly cynical about enduring love it seems important to me, that we spend some more time discussing love with our young. If anyone has found good ways of doing it, that have truly engaged with young people I would be interested to find out what you have found works.
As often happens at these party's those who have already committed to marriage think nothing of the huge decision that has been made - to commit to someone for the rest of their life - and those who have not yet got to that point, stand in the corner and wander how she knows this is the right time and the right one - even though we can tell by the sparkle in her eyes and the ways she is that it is the right time. Last night a friend and I talked about how we can communicate the concept of love to young people so they understand it, look for it, feel it, work at it, treasure it and are not be fooled by it. In a world that is perhaps increasingly cynical about enduring love it seems important to me, that we spend some more time discussing love with our young. If anyone has found good ways of doing it, that have truly engaged with young people I would be interested to find out what you have found works.
Monday, 29 October 2007
Abortion matters (2)
Abortion is getting the most public discussion that we have seen for a while. If you are not sure why, it is primarily because this month was the 40th Anniversary of the 1967 Act which legalised women's right to abortion, and there is a forthcoming Human Embryology and Tissue Bill which provides opportunities for legislation to be included which could and should improve and extend women's rights. Much media attention has focused on reducing the time limit, despite there being no reliable scientific evidence about this being necessary.
Brook is involved in a consortia of organisations called Voice for Choice. Together we are working together to secure these improvements which include extending the law to Northern Ireland so women have the same rights there as the rest of Britain; removing the requirement for two doctors to authorise the procedure; and increasing the range of professionals and the range of health settings where abortions can be carried out.
And there is a another job for us to do at Brook, and that is to find out more about the specific issues for young women relating to abortion, and particularly to understand more about when medical abortion or surgical abortion is most appropriate and to understand more about what works in supporting them before, during and after either process.
There is no room for complacency on abortion rights. We need a strong united voice in support of women's rights. Make sure you are part of that voice.
Brook is involved in a consortia of organisations called Voice for Choice. Together we are working together to secure these improvements which include extending the law to Northern Ireland so women have the same rights there as the rest of Britain; removing the requirement for two doctors to authorise the procedure; and increasing the range of professionals and the range of health settings where abortions can be carried out.
And there is a another job for us to do at Brook, and that is to find out more about the specific issues for young women relating to abortion, and particularly to understand more about when medical abortion or surgical abortion is most appropriate and to understand more about what works in supporting them before, during and after either process.
There is no room for complacency on abortion rights. We need a strong united voice in support of women's rights. Make sure you are part of that voice.
Friday, 5 October 2007
Beautiful Within...
Finding happiness and confidence within your own skin, (www.simonsays.co.uk) is the name of Brook’s ambassador, Mica Paris’ new book. In the introduction she states ‘every woman has it in her to create the life she really wants. We can do whatever we like, be anything we choose. All that stops us is that we don’t think we can.’ How sadly true for so many people young and old today.
When I was growing up I used to visit an ‘old lady’ Mrs O’Brien, mostly on Sundays. She probably has no idea how much she influenced me by regaling with her stories of love, loss, happiness, the importance of grabbing your chances and most importantly to remember there were always choices. Thank you Edith! I often talked of the problems and difficulties of ‘a friend’ and went away confident in my decision (sometimes to find she was wrong and I was in trouble!). But too many people don’t have an Edith.
And at Brook we see many of those young people without the confidence and self esteem, or the emotional and social skills to take control of their lives. Their dreams shattered by their experience of love and care, pressure and influence, they lose confidence and hope, and settle for second best in all areas of their lives, including sex and relationships.
Brook’s mission is ‘to enable all people to make informed choices about their personal and sexual relationships so that they can enjoy their sexuality without harm’. It is our joint belief and commitment that (young people) have the power to create the life they want that has led us to work together.
Mica’s story provides many practical ideas and personal insights that will be helpful for women, young women and for those that work with them. At Brook we look forward to working with Mica to change the world by helping young people change it for themselves. If I take anything from the book it is a reminder that there is nothing ‘nice’ about hiding talent, nothing brilliant about ‘settling for our lot’ and that sometimes choices are difficult and life it tough, but with a dollop of courage and lots of support there is always hope for fulfilment and happiness.
When I was growing up I used to visit an ‘old lady’ Mrs O’Brien, mostly on Sundays. She probably has no idea how much she influenced me by regaling with her stories of love, loss, happiness, the importance of grabbing your chances and most importantly to remember there were always choices. Thank you Edith! I often talked of the problems and difficulties of ‘a friend’ and went away confident in my decision (sometimes to find she was wrong and I was in trouble!). But too many people don’t have an Edith.
And at Brook we see many of those young people without the confidence and self esteem, or the emotional and social skills to take control of their lives. Their dreams shattered by their experience of love and care, pressure and influence, they lose confidence and hope, and settle for second best in all areas of their lives, including sex and relationships.
Brook’s mission is ‘to enable all people to make informed choices about their personal and sexual relationships so that they can enjoy their sexuality without harm’. It is our joint belief and commitment that (young people) have the power to create the life they want that has led us to work together.
Mica’s story provides many practical ideas and personal insights that will be helpful for women, young women and for those that work with them. At Brook we look forward to working with Mica to change the world by helping young people change it for themselves. If I take anything from the book it is a reminder that there is nothing ‘nice’ about hiding talent, nothing brilliant about ‘settling for our lot’ and that sometimes choices are difficult and life it tough, but with a dollop of courage and lots of support there is always hope for fulfilment and happiness.
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
We get what we expect
In 2001 I went on a sex education study tour to the United States of America. I met with a range of people working in the USA including Kristin Luker, a researcher from California who has done significant research on teenage pregnancy. Amongst many interesting and helpful points she said 'you get what you expect from young people'.
Expect them to be rude, feckless, 'hoodies', drunken and that is what you get. Expect them to be thoughtful, hopeful, engaged and brilliant and they will be. I was reminded of her point earlier this week when talking to a young person excluded from school and finding life at a Pupil Referral Unit a bit tough. I asked him what he thought his chances of getting back to school this year were . His reply went something like, 'i have been written off. School doesn't want me, here they don't expect me to turn up very often, and my mum has given up.'
He went on to say that even if he tried to sort things out now he won't get the chance - he is labelled. I wonder how the conversation would have gone if through effective relationship somebody had touched the imagination of this nice young man - helped him to believe in himself and found something he was brilliant at and interested in.
Only if we expect the best for young people, and let them(and all the people who are cynical and suspicious of them) know we want and expect the best for them and from them, only then we will our young dream of a world they want. And when people dream we know brilliant things happen.
Expect them to be rude, feckless, 'hoodies', drunken and that is what you get. Expect them to be thoughtful, hopeful, engaged and brilliant and they will be. I was reminded of her point earlier this week when talking to a young person excluded from school and finding life at a Pupil Referral Unit a bit tough. I asked him what he thought his chances of getting back to school this year were . His reply went something like, 'i have been written off. School doesn't want me, here they don't expect me to turn up very often, and my mum has given up.'
He went on to say that even if he tried to sort things out now he won't get the chance - he is labelled. I wonder how the conversation would have gone if through effective relationship somebody had touched the imagination of this nice young man - helped him to believe in himself and found something he was brilliant at and interested in.
Only if we expect the best for young people, and let them(and all the people who are cynical and suspicious of them) know we want and expect the best for them and from them, only then we will our young dream of a world they want. And when people dream we know brilliant things happen.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Human Papilloma Virus - the case for a vaccination programme
Yesterday the Health Protection Agency announced new findings that at least 10% of young women have the human papillomavirus by the age of 16. HPV leads to increased risk of cervical cancer in women. We now have a vaccination for HPV which saves lives.
We urge government must urgently implement a vaccination programme for girls and boys before they become sexually active and ensure suffficient resource is available to do so. A key human resource is of course the school nurse, part of our workforce so badly affected by the NHS deficit and a service seriously underfunded.
Most times I speak to school nurses, they are compassionate, passionate about public health and desperate to do more, to have more opportunities to build genuine relationships with children and young people, rather than a snatched moment here and there as they rush from duty to duty, school to school. Dialogue about implementing a HPV vaccination programme will necessarily involve dialogue about how to ensure there are enough school nurses, with enough resource to do the job. And I sincerely hope the opportunity will be taken to ensure serious conversation about the wider role of the school nurse in promoting children and young people's public health as well.
Finally, a vaccination programme is not a universal panacea, it is only part of the solution. It must be backed up with proper education about sex and relationships, opportunties for children and young people to develop skills, hopes and aspirations and a change in culture so young people expect much from the relationships and sex they choose to have.
We urge government must urgently implement a vaccination programme for girls and boys before they become sexually active and ensure suffficient resource is available to do so. A key human resource is of course the school nurse, part of our workforce so badly affected by the NHS deficit and a service seriously underfunded.
Most times I speak to school nurses, they are compassionate, passionate about public health and desperate to do more, to have more opportunities to build genuine relationships with children and young people, rather than a snatched moment here and there as they rush from duty to duty, school to school. Dialogue about implementing a HPV vaccination programme will necessarily involve dialogue about how to ensure there are enough school nurses, with enough resource to do the job. And I sincerely hope the opportunity will be taken to ensure serious conversation about the wider role of the school nurse in promoting children and young people's public health as well.
Finally, a vaccination programme is not a universal panacea, it is only part of the solution. It must be backed up with proper education about sex and relationships, opportunties for children and young people to develop skills, hopes and aspirations and a change in culture so young people expect much from the relationships and sex they choose to have.
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
Good news story about the contraceptive pill
This positive story about the overall protection the contraceptive pill provides against cancers in women is worth reading
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6987889.stm
Whenever stories about sexual health and relationships are in the media, Brook gets asked whether we work with young people who are willing to talk to them about the issues concerned. We know that are many young people who have very strong views about sex and relationships education, sexual health services and access to contraception. If you are one of those young people and you would like to talk about getting involved with Brook's work and being an ambassador for young people and sexual health please contact Juliet Hillier at julieth@brookcentres.org.uk or phone 020 7284 6052
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6987889.stm
Whenever stories about sexual health and relationships are in the media, Brook gets asked whether we work with young people who are willing to talk to them about the issues concerned. We know that are many young people who have very strong views about sex and relationships education, sexual health services and access to contraception. If you are one of those young people and you would like to talk about getting involved with Brook's work and being an ambassador for young people and sexual health please contact Juliet Hillier at julieth@brookcentres.org.uk or phone 020 7284 6052
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