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Home / Our work / YOUTH GROUP: SEXUALITY & BODY AWARENESS

YOUTH GROUP: SEXUALITY & BODY AWARENESS

About the Youth Group on sexuality

Back in mid-2018 a group of young people with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus (SBH) started to collaborate with IF to address the most interesting topics for the youth community with SBH. After some discussions, they decided to work on ‘sexuality and body awareness of people with SBH’, issues that are both surrounded by taboos and stigma. In this way, they built the youth working group on sexuality and body awareness.

To implement the strategies, the youth group holds bi-weekly meetings, participates in relevant European conferences and IF events and stays in contact via email and Whatsapp group.

Projects 2019:

Survey on sexuality and body awareness

The youth group decided to develop a survey to build up a solid basis of evidence on what is important for young people with SBH about their sexuality and body awareness in order to continue working on the topic. The survey was available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Turkey, Montenegrin and Flemish and the deadline to participate was May 30.

Given the large number of responses from people with SBH over 35 years of age, the results of the survey take into account what is important to adults with SBH too

Find here more information about the survey here

Report on the survey

The survey was a great success: 400 persons participated! Once the group collected all the responses, they analysed the data and developed a first general report together with IF.

Read the first general report here.

International Youth Conference #LoveSAFe-SBH

As a wrap up action, the youth group together with IF and its Italian member organisation ASBI, have organised an international youth conference to openly discuss key issues: relationships, affectivity and sexuality. The event will took place on 5-6 October in Varese (Italy).

Find here more information about the conference and programme

Watch the video of the conference

Projects 2020:

International Youth Day

The SBH youth community participated in the International Youth Day 2020 on August 12. The goal was to raise awareness of spina bifida and hydrocephalus (SBH) and the issues facing young people with these conditions when it comes to sexuality.

They shared a letter through IF website and created materials to be shared on social media: key messages, posters and 2 roleplay videos!

Letter from the SBH Youth community
Roleplay video of Marcus and Mirela
Roleplay video of Rui
Facebook album with posters 

Study on incontinence during sex

The next step of the project on sexuality and body awareness will focus on ‘incontinence during sex’, among other key topics, as it was the most common issue pointed out by the survey’s results. At the end of 2020, IF is planning an event at the European Parliament where an in-depth report will be presented.

Projects 2021:

  • Installment of the IF International Youth Group SBH. For more information see here 
  • Survey on mental health implications of COVID-19 on Youth with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Find the report here
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