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2011 Launch of Tasmania Together Youth Challenge

27 June 2011
MEDIA RELEASE

‘Jocks in June’ raises issue of STIs at the launch of the 2011 Tasmania Together Youth Challenge

Male students, and even some of their male teachers, at Devonport’s Don College, are wearing their underpants on the outside today!

And, no, they are not playing at being super heroes.

It’s all in the name of something far more serious – Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): an issue identified by young people themselves as being top-of-mind.

They are right.  STIs are an issue and the incidence of Chlamydia in particular is rising significantly in Tasmania, particularly among young people. 

Tasmania Together benchmarks show that the incidence of STIs has risen from 1693 per 100 000 in 2009; to 2280 in 2010 in Tasmanians aged 15 24.

‘Jocks in June’ is being driven by two young women – 16-year-olds Amber Taylor and Chelsea Eden – along with the rest of their year 11 ‘Certificate in Community Service’ classmates at Don College and a youth health nurse.

The students are seeking to raise awareness about STIs, including prevention and screening, particularly among young males who traditionally have not been as engaged as young women on the issue.

Apart from ‘wearing their undies on the outside’, students will today also receive an informative ‘safer sex’ information kit, that concentrates on the key messages of awareness and prevention, as well as screening.

Amber and Chelsea and their classmates are raising the issue during Men’s Health Week and are entering the project as part of the Tasmania Together Youth Challenge this year.  

The Challenge has been running since 2008 and is helping to raise awareness about Tasmania Together among students, teachers and parents in the community. 

Tasmania Together is a pioneering project that allows the people of Tasmania to not only say what they want, but to work together to achieve their long-term social, economic and environmental future.

Tasmania Together Progress Board member Dr Megan Cavanagh-Russell will be at the Don College to launch the Challenge today.

Dr Cavanagh-Russell said that young people were a tremendous source of knowledge, skills, creativity and optimism.

“That talent and vision is too good to waste,” Dr Cavanagh-Russell said.

“The Youth Challenge is all about tapping into what young Tasmanians can contribute to the State’s future – after all, they are the leaders of tomorrow.”

Dr Cavanagh-Russell said the Challenge involved students preparing a competition entry that reflected their vision of the State’s future.

“Entries are supported with a written statement that aligns their vision with one or more of Tasmania Together’s goals,” she said.

“The idea is to encourage young people to talk about the issues that are important to them; to link these to what Tasmania Together is moving towards and project their ideas to where they would like the State to be down the track. 

“This project lines up well with Goal 2 in our plan, which is about developing confident, friendly and safe communities. 

“We measure the incidence of sexually transmitted infections in Tasmanians aged 15-24 and unfortunately this is increasing.”

There were 421 cases of Chlamydia notified in the North West last year.

For more information about this year’s Tasmania Together Youth Challenge, call 6232 7010; email: contact@tasmaniatogether.com.au or log on to the website www.tasmaniatogether.com.au