Contraceptive Awareness Week in Slough
Slough Borough Council’s youth service will be marking the start of Contraceptive Awareness Week, February 11th to 17th, by launching a condom distribution scheme.
The idea is in response to requests from young Slough people to provide health services at venues they attend, and follows the success of Chlamydia screenings at a number of youth centres.
The initiative will be available at all of the council’s youth clubs. The ‘Come Card’ system, which entitles young people to 15 free condoms per month, has been operating successfully at Slough Young People’s Centre for many years.
The event will give youth workers the opportunity to discuss sexual health with young people, give them accurate information and encourage them to make positive choices about their health and long term future.
Siân Snagg, young people’s health improvement manager for Slough Borough Council, said: “In Slough we actively promote the ‘delay’ message which encourages young people to think very carefully about the consequences on embarking on a sexual relationship.
“However, over half of teenage conceptions are unplanned and unwanted, ending in abortion, so there is clearly a need for accessible contraception”.
Commissioner for young people’s services, Cllr Sean Wright, added: “Many young people get their sex education from friends; some don’t even get any advice or information at all.
“This is where such a scheme as this will be great for the young people of Slough who can go to their local youth centre and gain proper advice from adults about sexual health and being protected.
“The fact that it was the young people who asked for this service just shows that many of them want to be responsible.”
For more information, please contact your local youth centre.
Slough Borough Council