What is SHAPE?

SHAPE stands for Sexual Health and Peer Education. The SHAPE Program is a best practice peer education program for organisations that want to start a new sexual health peer education program with young people, incorporate sexual health into an existing peer education program, or enhance an existing sexual health peer education program.

There may already be groups of young people attending your service or group activities who are suitable to be trained as peer educators. Why not engage them and encourage them to become peer educators?

The SHAPE Program not only educates young people but also provides a great opportunity for young people to develop skills.

Why is peer education important?

Peer education is an effective way in educating and changing behaviours to better address sexual health concerns amongst young people.

The SHAPE Program not only educates young people, but also provides a great opportunity for young people to develop skills and communicate key sexual health messages in a comfortable and supportive way.

To implement this program, you will need to download & review the materials below:

Play Safe Pro SHAPE Checklist

Download the self-assessment checklist which is for workers and services that want to start a new SHAPE Program or strengthen a current sexual health program. It will also help you incorporate sexual health topics into an ongoing peer education program.

Play Safe Pro SHAPE Guidelines

Download the guidelines which are for workers and services that want to start a new SHAPE Program or strengthen a current sexual health program. The guidelines will also help you incorporate sexual health topics into an ongoing peer education program. They provide essential information that will help you complete the SHAPE Checklist.

Play Safe Pro SHAPE Training Manual

Download the training manual to implement the SHAPE Program with your team. The SHAPE Program training manual provides step by step instructions on how to run the SHAPE program, train peer educators and incorporate sexual health as part of peer education. Covering everything from sexual health & peer education, skills training session and evaluation forms – you have the full program at your fingers.

Play Safe Pro SHAPE Fact Sheet

Download the fact sheet which offers more information and resources around sexual health peer education programs available in Australia.

Check out peer education in action

Watch UNSW students setting the record straight around STIs and HIV.

These videos were developed in collaboration with the students from the University of New South Wales Peers Advocating for Sexual Health (PASH) Program. NSW Health thanks them for their contributions.

More about SHAPE

Promotional Toolkit 

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