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Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health
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Human Development and Sexual Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health works with local school communities and educators to ensure sexual health education is accessible and meaningful to all children. Every child has a right to comprehensive sexual health education and access to sexual health care. This knowledge is an important contributing factor to the health and well-being of Canadian youth (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). 

HPEPH Services

School Health Clinics

Clinics are currently offered in most publicly-funded HPEDSB secondary schools. To learn more about services offered, please visit our Public Health Clinics in Schools page.

Sexual Health Clinics

Sexual Health Clinics are also offered through HPEPH offices. To learn more, please visit our Sexual Health Clinic page.

Students who may need these services, can call the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Sexual Health Line at 613-966-5500 ext. 243 for confidential support.

Using the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School framework, schools, school boards, parents and community partners can work together to develop healthy school environments that promote and support student well-being. Information below has been organized following this framework.

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

HPEPH recommends the following resources to assist in teaching the Ontario Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum.

Always Changing (Grades 5 – 8)

School-based puberty education and healthy, active living program. Always Changing provides user-friendly, free downloadable teacher guides, student manuals and worksheets.

H&PE Elementary Resources (Grades 1 – 8)

Ophea’s H&PE Elementary Resources include 130 ready-to-use lesson plans per grade, student templates and assessment tools. The resources are organized into two main sections that are consistent with the 2015 H&PE Curriculum: Movement Competence & Active Living, and Healthy Living.

H&PE Secondary Resources (Grades 9 – 12)

Ophea’s H&PE Secondary Resources support teachers in helping students acquire the physical and health literacy skills needed to thrive in the 21st century and lead a healthy, active life.

Teaching Sexual Health (Grades 4 – 12)

Find lesson plans and classroom resources (in English and French) for Grades 4 to 8 and students with differing abilities by grade, topic, language or resource type. All lesson plans include specific curriculum outcomes, material lists, teacher notes and tips.

Amaze.org

Amaze takes the awkward out of growing up. Fun, animated videos empowering healthy relationships, with all the answers you want to know about your body. Topics include: Puberty, Healthy Relationships, STIs & HIV, Personal Safety, Pregnancy & Reproduction, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation.

Draw the Line (Grades 1-12)

An interactive campaign that aims to engage Ontarians in a dialogue about sexual violence. The campaign challenges common myths about sexual violence and equips bystanders with information on how to intervene safely and effectively. User guides (both elementary and secondary), posters and postcards are used to guide discussion on sexual violence.

Canadian Foundation for Aids Research (Grades 7 – 12)

These educator guides are designed to be a comprehensive and ready-to-use teaching resource for intermediate and secondary educators. Guides provide general resources for educators, activity lesson plans and supplementary materials. There are four guides: Healthy Relationships & Consent, Identity & Self-awareness, HIV/AIDS Basics and HIV Risk & Prevention.

Presentations/Kits

HPEPH has created ready to use presentations, kits and activities to help teach the Ontario Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum.

Download the Contraception and Birth Control Presentation A presentation on safe sex and common birth control options available to youth. Lending kits are also available.
Puberty Kit A toolkit to assist educators in teaching students about puberty and personal hygiene.
Download the Reproductive System Presentation A presentation to assist educators in reviewing the female and male reproductive systems.
Download the Sexual Consent Presentation A presentation outlining important concepts related to sexual consent.

School and Classroom Leadership

The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education provide guidance to educators and policy makers for the development and evaluation of comprehensive evidence-based sexual health education in Canada. These guidelines include a section documenting the importance of comprehensive sexual health education in Canada, Core Principles of Comprehensive Sexual Health Education, a list and description of appropriate educators and settings for the provision of comprehensive sexual health education, and benchmarks for the provision of STI prevention education and linking to STI testing in schools. The guide is now available in English and in French.

Ophea’s Approaches to Teaching Healthy Living: A Guide for Secondary Educators is an online resource developed to support secondary educators in planning and teaching the Healthy Living strand of the 2015 Health and Physical Education (H&PE) curriculum.

Student Engagement

Support students in developing a gender sexuality alliance (GSA) to promote welcoming, caring, respectful and safe schools for 2SLGBTQI+ students and their allies.

  • A Guide to Virtual GSAs
    All you need to know and prepare to run a virtual Gender Sexuality Alliance safer space. A Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) can be an essential safer space for many 2SLGBTQI+ youth. To ensure that this valuable space is not lost when meetings cannot happen in person, here are some tips and suggestions for how to run a virtual GSA.

Social and Physical Environments

2SLGBTQI+ Supports and Information

  • Anti-2SLGBTQI Cyberbullying: A resource for educators
    This resource highlights the disproportionate harm that 2SLGBTQI+ young people face as a result of cyberbullying. It offers educators and school staff a range of practical strategies for prevention and intervention that respond to the specific context of anti-2SLGBTQI+ bias, discrimination and violence within the school community, online and beyond.

Home, School and Community Partnership

Parent Resources

Additional Resources

Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists – The Sex & U website offers credible information on your body, sexual activity, 2SLGBTQI+, STIs, contraception, pregnancy and consent. As well, they have specific webpages covering menstruation and HPV.

Sexual Health Ontario – Find a clinic near you for testing, treatment and counseling.  This site also offers information on STIs and reproductive health. Information is provided in English and French.

Genderbread Person 4.0 – A teaching tool for breaking the big concept of gender down into bite-sized, digestible pieces.

Egale – Resources and research that provides reliable & up-to-date tools and information for 2SLGBTQI people & communities, service providers, schools, and companies.

Need More Information About Human Development and Sexual Health?

Please call the Sexual Health team at 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 243 or visit our pages about Birth Control/Pregnancy Counselling and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

News, Research and Reports RELATED TO: Educators

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COVID-19 vaccines in HPE

Eligible individuals can receive their vaccination at many participating local pharmacies by contacting the pharmacy directly. Please visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for location and registration information.

Vaccine ordering for health care providers

Vaccine orders for routine immunizations and STI medications continue to be available through HPEPH by using our vaccine order forms; however, please note that our vaccine delivery/pickup procedure has changed. For the most up to date pick up schedule please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-orders-info-healthcare-providers/.