12 sexual health resources you may not know for rural and regional youth workers

As youth workers we have a responsibility to promote reliable information and available services to young people we work with.

You need to be equipped to have open, informative, non-judgmental and sex-positive conversations with young people about stuff like sex, sexual health, contraception, unplanned pregnancies and affirmative consent. You should also know what services and information can help them stay safely.

Lucky for us rural and regional workers, there’s a whole range of resources out there to help.

What’s in my area?

Sexual Health Victoria regularly run training programs around the state. Bonus: some of the training is free! See what’s on.

In the Loddon Mallee region there are awesome programs, resources and training for workers run by Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health?(CERSH).

Thorne Harbour Country in Bendigo provides support, counselling, resources and information around LGBTQIA+ wellbeing, and a range of sexual health checkup options. They also provide a safe place for the LGBTQIA+ community to connect and get info, resources and referrals.?

On the Great South Coast in Warrnambool there is a Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub, one of many new regional and rural sexual health services being implemented around the state. Check out YACVic Rural’s short, fun and informative videos about the service.

What are my online or mobile options?

Access to sexual health information and testing services are changing across Victoria to make them more accessible.

We know how important these types of adaptations and accessibility considerations are for us regional and rural folk so here are some free online or mobile services:??

1800 My Options (1800 696 784) for comprehensive information on contraception, pregnancy options, abortion and sexual health services.

STI testing vending machines are a new mobile STI testing machine in Mildura and Mansfield, with pop-ups elsewhere.

TestMe is a free service for rural Victorians aged 25 years and younger, rural Victorian men who have sex with men, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It offers self-testing kits for chlamydia and gonorrhea, which will be posted to you.

Let Them Know is a free notification service for people who have been diagnosed with an STI to easily let their sexual partners know they might be at risk. It's important for partners to know so they can get tested.

The Gist is for young people who want real information about sex and relationships. If you learnt about sex from porn, or your school sex ed was too basic, this website is for you.?It was developed by sex ed researchers at the Burnet and University of Melbourne, working with designers, artists, teachers, and young people.

YACVic’s Yeah, Nah videos by and for young people compassionately explain affirmative consent, healthy relationships, and sensitive conversations about sexual violence.

What’s on the horizon for rural sexual health?

The University of Melbourne, with support from YACVic Rural and a range of youth and sexual health services providers, are currently trialling digital sexual health and STI testing facilities. This could be a real game changer for rural young people’s access STI testing. Read more.

If you’re looking for something proactive to do, join YACVic and CERSH’s SHOUT working party! SHOUT Rural – Sexual Health Out and About provide resources to help anyone who works with young people in rural or regional Victoria. SHOUT aims to promote positive sexual health messages, improve access to condoms and encourage regular STI testing.