Concerns about outbreak of syphilis in Wheatbelt brings sex education program to Narrogin

The Youth Affairs Council of WA’s Youth Educating Peers program will be in Narrogin on September 20 providing training for youth health workers and community members on how to engage with young people about sexual health. “We try to hit a different regional area of WA each year and we haven’t been to the Wheatbelt in a long time,” YEP co-ordinator Lorna Geraghty said. “I’ll be delivering the professional development sessions, talking about safer sex and showing youth workers and others the type of content that the peer educators provide to young people. “While I’m delivering the sessions peer educators will be visiting local high schools and delivering content — really it’s like a ‘train the trainer’ workshop.” Youth sexual behaviour and STIs, in particular syphilis, will also be topics of discussion. “We’re concerned about the numbers that we’re seeing in WA and in the Wheatbelt,” Ms Geraghty said. “There’s been an outbreak of syphilis in WA for a number of years now but not many people are aware and we’re really trying to get the message out. “Some of the work we’ll be doing with the peer educators is promoting local places where young people can go and get tested.” Healthy relationships, contraception, online dating and consent will also be explored on the day. “Consent is one of our most requested topics,” Ms Geraghty said. “Young people are really interested in the idea of consent across WA. In some communities we go to, talking about consent with people is the first time they realise that they have the power to say ‘no’. Light refreshments will be provided at the sessions. Ms Geraghty said that YEP hoped to attract as many people as possible to the event. “We’ll have people that work in health and education coming but if there are parents out there or footy coaches — anybody that feels it might be relevant to them is welcome to come along,” she said. YEP will hold two free sexual health education sessions in Narrogin at the John Higgins Community Centre on Wednesday, September 20. A Safer Sexting and Online Dating session will run from 9am to noon and the Safer Sex, STI Testing and Contraception workshop will run from 12.30-3pm. Registration is required and can be made through the Humanitix website.