JAZ INTIMI

Innovators of the “Me and My Intimacy“ project are three young women with the aim of teaching the youth about growing up, relationships, gender, and sexuality. By organizing workshops in schools we educate about various subtopics, such as dating, menstruation, sexual identity and orientation, safe and educated sexuality. We provide practical, expert-backed advice, along with when and where to seek help if necessary. Sex education is lacking in several European countries, failing to follow modern guidelines. Me and My Intimacy takes a comprehensive, inclusive and practical approach at it.

The challenge is the lack of sex education, which, too often, is currently non-inclusive and only covers medical aspects. Whilst growing up, young people are not presented with the topics and information they need about sex. This results in unhealthy intimate relationships, sexual violence, and risky sexual behaviours among youth.

JAZ INTIMI (Me and my Intimacy) educates young people on the topics of growing up, relationships, gender, and sexuality in a holistic way. Workshops are preventive, multidisciplinary, professional, and inclusive. The program stems from the belief that a good attitude towards oneself is the basis for healthy relationships, and information is a basis for responsible behaviour.

The project is run by three young women founders (social pedagogues). The team collaborates with experts from various professional fields and volunteers. A significant number of contributions come from youth, who together with the workshop leaders, create a space for communicating and learning about growing up, relationships, gender, and sexuality.

The project has helped raise awareness of the options and rights of youth (e.g. in growing up and sexuality), and built knowledge about sexual violence and sources of help, whilst removing taboos about sexuality. Furthermore, the project has helped youth make responsible decisions in relationships that lead to fewer unwanted events and helped build healthy intimate relationships.

The workshop program is transferable to different European countries, due to its inclusive approach. It could also be implemented in different cultural and religious settings. In order to ensure greater integrity, activities are also being adapted for different target groups (e.g. teaching staff, and parents), who carry an important roles in sex education.