For years, researchers have sought to identify the most common sex ed-related questions that students are asking in school and online. Students’ questions largely fall into topics related to the body, identity and relationships, sexual behavior, contraception/protection, and pregnancy. Some questions may prompt teachers or facilitators of sex education programs to worry that students are asking a question simply for shock value. While this does happen at times, students largely ask questions because they genuinely don’t know the answer, need or want sexual and reproductive health services, have worries and misunderstandings about sexuality and sexual behavior, or want to be reassured that their question is valid. It is important that adults who teach sex education know how to create safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments that encourage curiosity among their students and validate and respond to students—no matter a student’s motivation for asking.
El Camino is a research-based sexual health promotion program that focuses on the attainment of participants’ personal goals and is grounded in the principles of positive youth development. Through a multi-day Training of Facilitators and supplemental curriculum-based resources (including key background information for implementation, as well as frequently asked questions and talking points within lessons focused on sexual and reproductive health), El Camino facilitators are given the context and skills to encourage curiosity, build trust, and answer sexuality-related questions with confidence and in a way that honors personal boundaries within their classrooms.
Recent updates made to the Training of Facilitator materials, in partnership with Healthy Teen Network, prepare facilitators to respond to youth’s questions that are difficult to answer or that ask about facilitators’ personal experience or values. This tip sheet highlights three steps to follow when responding to youth’s questions about sex that are covered in El Camino’s Training of Facilitators. While this resource is designed with El Camino facilitators in mind, these steps are applicable to anyone who finds themselves on the receiving end of a young person’s sex- or sexuality-related question.
Child Trends developed El Camino, a sexual health promotion program for Latino adolescents that encourages youth to set goals, make informed sexual and reproductive health choices that align with those goals, and have healthy relationships. The curriculum is freely available for download both in English and Spanish. Additional information about El Camino, as well as the curriculum itself, can be found at https://www.childtrends.org/publications/el-camino-a-goal-setting-sexual-health-promotion-program.
Child Trends and Healthy Teen Network have joined together to support professionals who wish to implement the El Camino curriculum. Child Trends developed El Camino—a sexual health promotion program for Latino adolescents that encourages youth to set goals, make informed sexual and reproductive health choices that align with those goals, and have healthy relationships—and has been evaluating the program with funding from the Office of Population Affairs from July 2020 through June 2024. Together, Child Trends and Healthy Teen Network are collaborating to update the curriculum and training materials. As the national training and technical assistance (TA) provider, Healthy Teen Network supports professionals to build their capacity to implement El Camino with quality and fidelity.
To request training or TA on El Camino, please contact Healthy Teen Network by using the online request form.
This publication was made possible by Grant Number 4 TP2AH000077-03-02 from the HHS Office of Population Affairs. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Office of Population Affairs.
The authors wish to thank Hannah Lantos, Jennifer Manlove, Jenita Parekh, and Kris Moore for their invaluable guidance regarding the overall framing of this product and reviewing drafts and providing feedback throughout its development; Hannah Lantos for an equity review; Brent Franklin for editorial review; Krystal Figueroa and Catherine Nichols for style and design; Lorena Fuentes for translation and Valerie Martinez for translation review; and Emilia Sotolongo for fact checking.
Suggested Citation
McClay, A., Sedivy, V., & Piper, M. (2023). Sexual health facilitators’ guide to responding to youth’s questions about sex. Child Trends. https://doi.org/10.56417/8174l5439j