Supporting Young People’s Sexual Health: Practical Skills for Youth Services Professionals

Young people consistently tell us they want honest, inclusive and stigma-free conversations about sex, relationships and health. Youth services professionals play a critical role in creating spaces where those conversations can happen safely and confidently.

This full-day professional development workshop will build your knowledge, skills and confidence to support young people around sexual health, consent, relationships, and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs).

Grounded in a rights-based and harm reduction framework, the day will combine evidence-informed content, practical tools, real-world scenarios and reflective practice.

Please note: This session is an updated version of Sexual Health Victoria’s Young People and Sexual Health course: https://shvic.org.au/courses/ycw?eventtemplate=35-young-people-and-sexual-health

What we’ll cover
1. Why This Work Matters – Foundations
We begin by grounding the work in principles of sexual health rights, equity and harm reduction.

Topics include:

The impact of stigma, racism and discrimination on young people’s health outcomes

STIs & BBVs in Australia: key rates, trends, risks and common myths

Youth perspectives: what young people say they want — including open conversations about consent, navigating rejection and online sexual content

Understanding how inequities shape access to care and information

2. Creating Safe & Inclusive Spaces
Explore how to build youth-friendly environments where young people feel safe to ask questions and seek support.

Topics include:

Establishing confidential, trauma-informed and stigma-free practice

Queer-inclusive approaches: language, representation and affirming conversations

Recognising intersectionality, including the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and LGBTQIA+ communities

Practical strategies to foster trust and safety in your setting

3. Skills for Sexual Health Conversations
Develop practical tools and scripts to navigate real-world conversations with confidence.

Topics include:

Talking about STIs and BBVs without shame or fear-based messaging

Consent and navigating rejection — practical phrasing and role-play

Online sexual content: porn, sexting, social pressures and expectations vs reality

Responding appropriately and safely to disclosures

4. Youth-Centred STI & BBV Support
Understand what youth workers need to know to support young people.

Topics include:

Screening, testing and treatment basics

Finding and sharing accurate, evidence-based health information

Referral pathways: clinics, peer supports and online services

Identifying LGBTQIA+-affirming and youth-friendly providers

Harm reduction approaches: safer sex, PrEP, PEP and needle and syringe programs

Confidentiality and legal responsibilities (age of consent, mandatory reporting and privacy considerations)

5. Putting It All Together – Supporting Young People
Consolidate your learning and build confidence for complex situations.

Topics include:

Integrating safe spaces, inclusive language, stigma reduction and referrals into daily practice

Reflective practice: identifying and addressing personal bias and assumptions

Building confidence through scripts, phrases and practical responses for tricky moments

Who Should Attend?
This workshop is designed for:

Youth workers

Case managers

Outreach workers

Program coordinators

Community and wellbeing staff working with young people

No prior sexual health expertise is required.