Since it's founding in 1997, the CYC-Net discussion group has been asked thousands of questions. These questions often generate many replies from people in all spheres of the Child and Youth Care profession and contain personal experiences, viewpoints, as well as recommended resources.
Below are some of the threads of discussions on varying Child and Youth Care related topics.
Questions and Responses have been reproduced verbatim.
Listen to thisI am currently studying to become a health/physical education teacher. I
am researching health class curriculum and was wondering, with all your
experience working with youth, what health topics would you recommend
becoming greater focuses in health class? What knowledge or abilities do you
feel youth are lacking?
Thanks very much for your help,
Amanda Macasso
...
Replying to Amanda's query of yesterday ...
That's an awesome question. I think sexual education and learning about
STD's. For young girls, there is NO knowledge of signs of bladder infections
in health classes. I hear of young girls going days with their infection to
the point where it spreads further. There needs to be more awareness of
this.
Alicia DaSilva
...
Hi Manda,
Sexual health, nutrition.
Lisa
...
Healthy sexuality for boys and girls. How to use a
condom or other birth control, where to access them for free and why it is
important. I also think discussing safe sex across sexual preferences is
important tooand not to assume all the kids in the class are heterosexual.
But I guessif one educated in this manner one could be accused of "pushing
an agenda."Our Puritan ethic in the USA sabotages youth from receiving
proper health education to meet their needs not some adults' prudish
expectations.
Discussion of pregnancy, female and male bodies and how to promote health
are other good topics.
Peter DeLong
...
Replying to Amanda
Very good question.
Vegetarian diets and girls... I understand the concerns of youth when it
comes to the mass production of the meat we eat. But lots of concerns have
been raised when teens are getting on to vegetarian diets: they do not
always understand the process that comes with them. A well-balanced vegan
diet takes lots of work and knowledge. It is not about simply removing all
meat and animal products from your plate... you have to know their
equivalent (nutrients) and not use supplementary pills as a
"replacement"...
Sandrine Trichard
...
Hi Sandrine,
The meat eating majority get a bit excited when children opt to become
veggie or vegan. The reality is they can experiment and do no harm to
themselves. It is a fact that the majority of people in the world have to
eat a vegetarian diet and they can thrive physically and intellectually as
long as they have a enough food.
Both our daughters were veggie from birth and they both grew up healthy and
happy as did all their veggie friends. Strangely they didn't even rebel by
eating meat during their teenage years.
Peace
Jeremy Millar
