HELEN STIRLING
A Hastings youth health centre is extending its hours in an attempt to improve the health of children from the age of 10 and teenagers during adolescence - including the field of sex education. It comes at a time when pregnancies are skyrocketing among New Zealand teenagers and classroom
sexuality education has been criticised by the Education Review Office as being ineffective at some schools.
From November, Directions Youth Health Centre will open from 1pm-6pm, due to demand for services aimed at 10 to 23-year-olds, manager Chris McIvor said. It currently opens at 3pm.
"Going through adolescence is the most challenging part of your life and youth face many choices at a time when they are experimenting," he said.
"Knowledge is a key thing and not just knowledge about contraception and drugs but where they can get help."
Parents had the right to stop their children undertaking sexuality education "but that's not going to stop them from doing it".
Mr McIvor teaches a "Youth in Control" sexuality education programme in schools.
"We try to deliver messages in a youth friendly way, so it's interactive and gives youth a chance to discuss issues under different scenarios.
"It's intended that they will gain some knowledge and if they experience these scenarios they will make a healthy decision in their best interests. If schools don't have the capacity to deliver sexuality education effectively, then outside organisations could be used."
The subject needed to be backed by resources and funding, he said.
Meanwhile a Hastings-based Teenage Parents with Children initiative aimed at supporting pregnant 12, 13 and 14-year-old girls is expecting greater demand than the 12 cases it can handle during the pilot phase.
The Education Review Office recently surveyed 100 primary and secondary schools to assess the quality of sexuality education programmes delivered in Years 7 to 13. Weaknesses were highlighted in 20 per cent of schools while 66 per cent of those surveyed were less than effective at delivering sexuality education.
