Deirdre Seery, executive director, The Sexual Health Centre, Cork, which provides counselling, sex education, and crisis pregnancy support
When I used to think of what I would do when I was a grown up, I never visualised myself working in the sex industry. I joined Cork Aids Alliance in 1989 and have metamorphosed with it over the years. It is now The Sexual Health Centre and provides a wide range of services.
No two days are ever the same. The health promotion team is just back in the office after a hectic time delivering sex education programmes in secondary schools.
It used to be difficult to convince schools of the importance of sex education for young people, but the realities of today's world have forced schools and parents to recognise that young people need good quality, relevant sex education.
We have shown in our evaluations that this work improves the knowledge of young people and helps them to gain confidence and resist peer pressure.
So our schools team is now incredibly busy and under-resourced.
Unfortunately, although we know about rising problems of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and crisis pregnancies, efforts to combat this are badly funded.
Education and prevention cost a lot less than diseases and crisis services and produce a much healthier society.
We also provide peer education programmes for people aged 16-21 in sexual health and drugs awareness. This is really popular and a great boost to their confidence and skills. We have a waiting list of people to take the training, which is accredited, and an existing network of 43 people providing accurate information to their peers.
When we hear about all the risks young people are exposed to and how difficult it is to get people involved in voluntary activities, we can easily forget about all these great young people who, given the opportunity, are so enthusiastic and focused.
Our support and counselling services are available when people need someone to provide non-judgmental and non-directive support. We have provided support to people with HIV since 1987 and there is still enormous stigma attached to it.
We provide peer support training to people with HIV so they can help others feel less isolated. Now, in addition to HIV, some of our clients facing deportation are living in hostels and have had hugely traumatic lives.
We no longer regularly lose people to Aids now that the treatments are so effective. We now lose people to inhumane political systems that deny people the basic human rights to life, to security, to possibilities.
The crisis pregnancy counselling service is a relatively new service at the centre. People of all childbearing ages attend for this counselling. A crisis pregnancy can happen to any woman, regardless of age, social class, nationality. It is a very emotive subject and often people in this situation cannot tell anyone until they come to our counsellors. Just having someone to talk to in confidence can be a huge relief.
Our centre is small and friendly and we have a dedicated team consisting of a doctor and counsellors who respect people's feelings and need for privacy and provide a sympathetic and professional service so that people can explore their options.
It's really important for me to have a job that feels like it makes a difference. It's hectic but I love it.
The Sexual Health Centre: 021 4275837
info@sexualhealthcentre.com
www.sexualhealthcentre.com
(In conversation with Ali Bracken)