Informal Sex Education by Youth Practitioners

Abstract

Youth practitioners are commonly acknowledged to play an important role in supporting the sexual health of young people. However, there is relatively little literature that documents, conceptualizes and theorizes the unique nature and potential of informal sex education provided by youth practitioners such as social workers and youth workers. Using the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy, this article seeks to conceptualize informal sex education practices by youth practitioners, from the practitioner’s point of view. Eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with youth practitioners, working in a variety of programmes and provisions for young people across Israel. The data were thematically analysed. The analysis identified three key concepts, drawn from critical pedagogy, which underscore the unique potential of informal sex education by youth practitioners: dialogue, the language of possibility and language of critique.

How Sexual Information Sources are Related to Emerging Adults’ Sex-Positive Scripts and Sexual Communication

“…During emerging adulthood individuals explore their sexuality and become socialized into romantic and sexual relationships (Arnett, 1995 ). It is during this time that emerging adults learn about sex through formal sexual education programs, as well as through informal sources of sexual information (Lavie-Ajayi, 2020 ). Formal sexual education is considered “curriculum-based sex education programs, taught within school classrooms… [and] informal sexual education refers to other unstructured sources of sex information to which an individual might be exposed” (Lavie-Ajayi, 2020 , p. 486).…”

“…It is during this time that emerging adults learn about sex through formal sexual education programs, as well as through informal sources of sexual information (Lavie-Ajayi, 2020 ). Formal sexual education is considered “curriculum-based sex education programs, taught within school classrooms… [and] informal sexual education refers to other unstructured sources of sex information to which an individual might be exposed” (Lavie-Ajayi, 2020 , p. 486). These informal sources of sexual information include parents, peers, and media (Burkill & Waterhouse, 2019 ; Edwards, 2016 ) and are central in emerging adults’ internalization of sexual scripts.…”