WHO WE ARE

Sexual Health And Relationships Ireland is founded and delivered by Deirdre Betson (She/Her).
A very experienced nurse, Deirdre is qualified in both mental health and general nursing. She received her nursing degree from Trinity College Dublin. A graduate of DCU, Deirdre achieved a distinction in the Post Graduate Certificate in Sexuality and Sexual Health Education. This specialist educational training in the area of sexuality and sexual health, qualifies Deirdre as a competent sexuality and sexual health educator. The goal of SHAREIreland workshops is to enable students to make healthy decisions, as they develop from adolescence to adulthood.
Deirdre is also a trained facilitator in the HSE Foundation Programme in Sexual Health Promotion and the SMART Consent workshop(NUIG).
She became a certified facilitator in the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) BodyRight Programme.
This programme is a Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Programme for young people.
She also is a certified facilitator in the most recent DRCC “Lets Get Real” Programme - Media, Popular Culture and Pornography. This workshop is particularly relevant to teenagers.

Most recently, Deirdre has become a trained facilitator in the Foróige REAL U (Relationships Explored and Life Uncovered) relationships and sexuality education programme. This programme was developed in collaboration with the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, the Marie Keating Foundation, BeLonGTo and the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme.

With 32 years of mental health nursing experience, Deirdre has cared for young people with mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, self-harm, drug and alcohol abuse, child sexual abuse, thought disorder and OCD.
Deirdre has also attended professional training with youth organisations, BeLonGTo and Jigsaw.


WHAT WE DO

SHARE Ireland’s workshops would primarily be aimed at the senior cycle students. It works best with class sizes of under 15 students. Each school has different needs and bespoke programmes can be developed in conjunction with RSE and TY co-ordinators. Smaller classes work better to maximise peer sharing and learning in these interactive workshops. Minimum time required is a double period (80 mins).

Workshops available:


1. Healthy Relationships: A precursor to the Consent workshop.
  • What the elements of a healthy relationship are.
  • How to build and maintain relationships.
  • What coercive and controlling relationships
  • Where to find support.
2. Consent and Sexual Harassment;

This workshop is an interactive 3-hour session best suited to TY students who usually go on work placements in the community.
What is consent, the law and consent.
What are the barriers and things that help communicate consent.

  • How to give consent and skills for resisting pressure.
  • Sexual harassment, what it looks and sounds like.
  • What to do if you witness /are being harassed.
  • Where to get support.
3. Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation.
  • What makes us unique and individual.
  • Comfort in our own skin.
  • The GenderBread person- Gender identity and gender expression.
  • Acrynoms and how to make sense of them.
  • Homo/Trans phobia and bullying.
4. Let’s Get Real Programme - Media, Popular Culture and Pornography.

5. BodyRight Programme - Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention.

6. Foróige REAL U Relationships and Sexuality Education Programme.

This in-depth programme has 6 Core Modules;

  • Introduction
  • Relationships
  • Reproduction
  • Gender and sexuality
  • Emotional well-being
  • Understanding boundaries.

It also has 9 Elective Modules;

Elective module 1 (2 sessions) 

  • Puberty
  • Hygiene

Elective module 2 (4 sessions)

  • Contraception
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Unplanned pregnancy
  • Condom demonstration

Elective module 3 (2 sessions)

  • Sex and the law
  • Body Image

Elective modules 4-9 (1 session each)

  • Know your body
  • Positive ways to deal with stress
  • Alcohol and drugs
  • Understanding pornography
  • Available services

OTHER SERVICES

  • Consultation services also available to school management in the development of their sexual health policies.
  • Bespoke questionnaires available to establish student needs and learning.
  • Workshops for teachers also available