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Starting July 2013, the 'Good Sex' project is a one-year, ESRC-funded collaboration between CIRCY and the young people's sexual health charity, . Using original research on young people's sexual relationships and cultures, the project aims to explore new and creative ways of researching evidence to inform practice and develop new ways of working with young people.

The focus of the project is the building of evidence-based practice around 'sex-positive' approaches to sexual health service delivery, and on finding ways to work with young people on the topic of sexual pleasure. The project builds on PhD research conducted by youth practitioner and PhD researcher, Ester McGeeney (for Brook), on young people's understandings and experiences of 'good sex'.

In this project, Ester will work with a team of volunteers, Brook staff, and  to create:

• films targeting (1) young people, (2) sexual health practitioners/educators and (3) the general public
• a training programme and resources for sexual health practitioners on engaging young people in work around sexual pleasure
• a module on pleasure for inclusion in Brook's online induction programme
• a literature review of evidence for 'sex-positive' approaches to education and service development
• a research blog documenting the methods of knowledge exchange used throughout the project

The project will be divided into three separate stages:

1. Direct work with young people
   Development of an audio-visual educational resource for direct work with young people on issues of 'good sex' and sexual pleasure. The resource will utilise material from interviews and focus groups exploring innovative and ethical strategies for re-animating for educational use.
2. Training sexual health workers
   Development of a short training course for staff and a self-complete online module that will be integrated into Brooks' online induction programme. Recordings from training sessions and activities will be used for the producing of audio-visual materials which will be made available publically for practitioner use.
3. Public awareness
   Creation of an audio-visual resource about the project itself, preparation of a review of evidence and the delivering of training to Brook trustees. The review will be made available to Brook staff to support their work with young people. Brook to also use for the tendering and commissioning of services, as well as for its national role in advocacy.

For more information about the Good Sex project, visit the research blog at or contact e.mcgeeney@sussex.ac.uk.