2.02: (Professor Dirk Schubotz) - Conducting sexual health research with young people

06/06/23 • 46 min

This episode contains an in-depth interview with Professor Dirk Schubotz. Dirk is a professor in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast and has conducted vast amounts of research in the areas of sexuality, sexual health, and gender. He is a member of ARK, Northern Ireland's Social Policy Hub, and has directed the annual Young Life and Times survey of 16-year-olds since 2003. He is also a Trustee of Common Youth.
Dirk reflects on growing up in East Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall; his background in youth work; attending the first Pride parade to take place in Belfast; producing the first large scale study into the sexual attitudes and experiences of young people in Northern Ireland; interacting with schools on conducting a survey regarding young people's views on homosexuality and abortion; young people's experiences of relationships and sexuality education (RSE); findings from the Young Life and Times Survey; working with the Belfast Youth Forum to produce their 'Any Use?' report on RSE; and his aspirations around sexual health in Northern Ireland going forward.
If you would like support around a sexual health issue you can call the Sexual Health Helpline on 028 9031 6100.
Useful links
https://informingchoicesni.org/
https://www.ark.ac.uk/ARK/yltResources
Any Use? report: Young people’s opinions on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Belfast
Sticks and Stones? Violence experiences of 16-year olds in Northern Ireland
Sexual risks and capacities: Developing a peer-led educational resource to address sexual risks among young people
Relationships and Sexuality Education and Homophobic and Transphobic Name Calling

Previous Episode

2.01: (Mary Crawford) - 'Mummy said here’s a letter for you'

The opening episode of series two contains an in-depth interview with Mary Crawford. Mary was the CEO of the Brook Advisory Clinic in Northern Ireland for 25 years, and oversaw the organisations transition to Common Youth before retiring in 2018. She is a veteran pro-choice campaigner, and a Trustee of Informing Choices NI.
Mary reflects on the sex education she received growing up; being involved in abortion rights campaigns as a student in the 1970s; running personal development courses at Youth Action; the opening of the Brook Advisory Clinic in Belfast in 1992; the impact of protests and being targeted within her local area; meeting with former Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam MP; delivering relationships and sexuality education (RSE) programmes in community settings; providing sexual health services to young men; the decline in teenage pregnancy rates; and what constitutes good RSE.
If you would like support around a sexual health issue you can call the Sexual Health Helpline on 028 9031 6100.
Useful links
https://informingchoicesni.org/
https://commonyouth.com/Resources
An Early Day Motion from 1991 regarding the proposed establishment of a Brook Advisory Centre in BelfastNews articles
A BBC News article regarding the firebombing of the Ulster Pregnancy Advisory Association which references the letters sent to Mary Crawford's neighbours
A Belfast Telegraph article regarding the provision of young men's sexual health clinics by Brook NI
A Guardian article regarding relationships and sexuality education in Northern Ireland
A platform piece by Mary Crawford in the agendaNi publication regarding sexual health in the 21st century

Next Episode

2.03: (Ellen Taylor) - How do you get rid of a stigma?

This episode contains an in-depth interview with Ellen Taylor. Ellen is the Vice President and Community Relations Officer of the Secondary Students’ Union of Northern Ireland and chair of the Newry, Mourne and Down Youth Council. She is starring in season 2 of the CBBC sci-fi adventure series Silverpoint, and is currently studying her A-Levels.
During the interview Ellen reflects on school life during Covid-19; her involvement with the Secondary Students' Union of Northern Ireland; establishing a Feminist Society; producing a report into sexism and sexual harassment in schools; counselling services in schools; her experience of RSE and preferences on how it should be taught; the provision of information on sexual health services; social media and the influence of Andrew Tate; and her aspirations for sexual health, rights and education going forward.
Useful links
https://informingchoicesni.org/
https://ssuni.org/
Resources
SSUNI Sexual Harassment and Sexism Survey
News
DUP's Jim Wells criticised for response to teenager who used 'The North' in email
Period poverty: No free tampons in school 'adds stress to families'
Students tell of anger at cuts to NI education services
The Good Friday Agreement changed everything for Northern Ireland's young people - so teach them about it