Events

Across Europe, young people navigate increasingly complex realities around sexual health, relationships, consent, power, identity, and safety. 

These experiences do not belong to one sector alone. They are shaped in youth work spaces, schools, sports clubs, vocational training, volunteering environments, and adult education settings. Ireland has been at the forefront of developing rights-based, youth-centred and consent-focused practices, particularly through youth work. This transnational symposium invites youth workers, sports coaches, practitioners, educators (VET and post-primary schools), policy influencers, ESC organisations and programme coordinators within ADU sector from across Europe to come together to share practice, challenge silences, and build a common cross-sector responsibility for supporting young people. 

In collaboration with Youth Work Ireland, SALTO Inclusion & Diversity, Youth Work Ireland, and Léargas the Irish National Agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps this symposium places youth work practice at its core informing and inspiring other sectors while creating space for mutual learning, honest dialogue and the sharing of experiences, challenges and approaches.

Objectives; 

The symposium aims to: 

• Create a safe, no-taboo space for dialogue on sexual health and consent across sectors 
• Share Irish practices and learning that has shaped progressive approaches to consent education and youth participation 
• Explore how different sectors encounter sexual health and consent in their everyday work with young people 
• Strengthen crosssectoral cooperation at local, national and European level 
• Identify transferable practices, challenges and ethical questions relevant across European contexts 
• Create a space for shared European exchange on responsibility, boundaries, safeguarding and empowerment

Expected Outcomes 

Participants will: 

• Gain deeper understanding of sexual health and consent across contexts 
• Leave with practical tools, questions and approaches adaptable to their sector 
• Build European connections and partnerships 
• Contribute to shaping a shared language and responsibility around consent and sexual wellbeing 
• Strengthen shared European learning on sexual health and consent 

Methodology 

• The symposium will be highly participatory, grounded in: 
• Youth work methodologies 
• Practice-based case studies 
• Peer learning and sector exchanges 
• Facilitated dialogue and reflection spaces 
• Ethical and inclusive approaches to sexual health and consent

Participants working with young people (13–30) in: 

• Youth work and youth organisations 
• European Solidarity Corps 
• Schools and formal education 
• Vocational Education & Training (VET) 
• Sports and physical activity settings 
• Adult education and lifelong learning