Free Sex Ed Workshops Offered For North Shore Parents, Kids

EVANSTON, IL — YWCA Evanston/North Shore Tuesday announced plans for a series of sex education workshops for North Shore parents and students in middle school and high school.

Comprehensive sex education can help dismantle gender stereotypes, improve self-esteem and empower young people to prevent sexual violence and develop healthier relationships, according to the nonprofit.

“Honest, accurate information about sexuality can change lives,” said Hallie Cohen, YWCA’s violence prevention educator and a trained sex educator, announcing the summer programming.

“Our goal is to provide sex education that dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, improves decision making and fosters healthy relationships.”

The first event comes later this month — May has been designated as National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, also known as Sex Ed for All Month — and will be aimed at parents.

The parent workshops, which will define comprehensive sex education, explain its benefits and provide resources for how families can discuss sexuality and answer sex queries from children of all ages, according to YWMA.

The parent workshops are scheduled for 4 p.m. May 19, 7 p.m. on May 20 and noon on May 21.

Next month, the nonprofit organization will launch a series of workshops aimed at middle schoolers and high schoolers called its "Summer of Sex Ed."

Children who experience comprehensive sex education, on average, wait longer to lose their virginity, are more likely to use condoms and contraceptives when they do have sex and wind up with improved academic performance and fewer unintended pregnancies, according to YWCA.

Middle school workshops are set to be held at YWCA's newly renovated facility at 1215 Church St. in Evanston from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June 7 to Aug 18, with a break on July 5 and from July 23 to Aug. 4.

Workshops for high school-aged kids will be held remotely via video teleconferencing software on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June and July.

Both programs follow the Our Whole Lives curriculum, which was developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

The curricula cover information about puberty, sexuality, identity and relationships that many schools address only briefly or do not cover at all, according to YWCA.

The programs open to all North Shore youth who are in or entering seventh through ninth grade.

All planned workshops are free and open to the public, although registration is required.

“Navigating sex and relationships is hard enough for young people," Cohen said. "Now the pandemic and its isolating effects have made this even harder. Our goal is to provide information, resources and a safe space to talk, giving families a pathway to ease back into normalcy.”