Youth participation in setting the agenda: learning outcomes for sex education in Ireland. Learning outcomes for sex education in Ireland

This research set out to explore how young people could contribute to sexual health curriculum development, in order to increase the relevance of such curricula to school children. The aim was to facilitate young Irish people, through a participatory research methodology, to generate, collate and present their views on effective sex education. Developing a way to elicit youthful voices creates the possibility for those voices to be heard by those in power - without adult censure. There were 394 participants aged between 15 and 18 years. The participants made their data accessible to adults with the creation of 62 'Webs'. The young people stated it was vital that sex education allow them access to factual information. The issues that they wished to gain knowledge on ranged from how to establish healthy respectful, communicative relationships, knowing how babies are made, when one's ready physically and emotionally for sex, how to put a condom on, who to go to for information and how best to talk about sexual issues. They wanted to be taught by people whom they can trust to deliver information accurately, confidentially and with confidence. The rich data reflected and respected the young peoples' perspective without resort to adult interpretations.