Connections Matter is a training designed to engage community members in building caring connections to:
- Improve resiliency,
- Prevent childhood trauma, and
- Understand how our interactions with others can support those who have experienced trauma.
The Sex Education Collaborative Training Hub lists trainings for sex educators, facilitators, and other professionals on best practices for sharing important information with clients and the public. From teaching anatomy inclusively to effectively addressing bias in the classroom to addressing racial justice and equity in sex education, the Training Hub includes trainings, technical assistance, and policy support from state, regional, and national leaders in the field of sex education.
Please note: The Training Hub includes both in-person and online professional trainings. If you see a training you are interested in and it isn’t listed as virtual, please reach out directly to any of our members to find out what's possible!
Connections Matter is a training designed to engage community members in building caring connections to:
Health inequities persist for 2SLGBTQ+ young people both locally and nationally, particularly in relation to sexual and reproductive well-being. Most evidence-based sexual health education curricula address neither the information that directly applies to 2SLGBTQ+ youth nor best practices for truly engaging 2SLGBTQ+ youth in sex education. This training will equip educators with the tools to effectively neutralize their language, expand engagement strategies, and implement curricula adaptations to effectively serve LGBTQ+ youth. This training is intended for anyone implementing a sex education program with young people and the supervisors who support them.
Trauma-Responsive Practices in Sex Education will provide participants with information about the prevalence and impact of trauma on the brain and behavior, including the limitations of how trauma is assessed. Utilizing a trauma-responsive approach means that a program, organization, or system “realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization” (SAMHSA). This training will lead sex educators through content knowledge and applicable best-practices for taking a trauma-responsive approach within their classrooms and organizations, including the role trusted adults play in creating an environment conducive to resilience and healing. This training is intended for anyone implementing sexual health education with young people and the supervisors that support them.
There are many options for sex education curricula; it can be overwhelming. Participants will discuss district wants and needs and various curriculum options to decide which curriculum is a good fit.
Participants will gain knowledge of how intimate partner violence impacts the mental, sexual and reproductive health of young people who witness and/or experience it. Participants will brainstorm strategies to intervene and learn about local, state, and national resources.
This training is designed for:
Many students in our schools identify as a gender or sexual minority. A 2020 survey found that 40% of LGBTQ respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past twelve months, with more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having seriously considered suicide (Trevor Project, 2020). Participants will identify ways to support gender and sexual minorities in their schools and learn skills for being a more inclusive educator.