Our History
SExT creator, Shira Taylor, wanted to integrate her research on public health with an artistic theatrical component. The goal? To change the way we think about and teach sexual education in Canada. The SExT pilot program began in April 2014 with the goal to affect change at a grassroots level inside one of Toronto’s newcomer areas.
Countless studies make recommendations to improve sex education, yet few studies explore creative ways of turning these recommendations into action. Unlike the sex education that participants reported having received in school, SExT incorporates youth input, a peer education model, and moves beyond biology and the ‘birds and bees’ to target the social climate in schools and communities.
Funding for the pilot program was generously provided by the CIHR Social Research Centre in HIV prevention. In order to recruit youth, a partnership was established with Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in East York, serving Flemingdon and Thorncliffe Park, one of Ontario’s most diverse and densely populated high schools.
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The school principal at Marc Garneau gave permission for student recruitment through flyers and class talks. The Flemingdon Health Centre, conveniently located across the street from school, agreed to supplement SRC support by providing free space for workshops and rehearsals. While the hope was to finish the process with 10 dedicated youth, a group of 19 youth completed the program with near-perfect attendance. For the last 10 weeks of the school year, Shira held two-hour weekly workshops tackling topics decided in consultation with youth. In addition to safer sex, community-specific issues such as gender roles and women’s attire, barriers to testing, consent, abuse, racism, and homophobia were paid special attention. Each workshop included theatre training and exercises, group discussion, and opportunities for youth to engage with the subject matter by devising skits, songs, raps, poems, and dances
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The process culminated in a 75 minute theatre performance to engage other youth in the community, rehearsed over a full-time week of July in a camp environment. SExT: Sex Education by Theatre was performed at the Ontario Science Centre, located a short walk from the school. Based on positive audience reactions and press, the performance was re-mounted for two shows at the Palmerston Library Theatre in August. The dedication of the youth truly led to a lively and powerful performance.
Aiming to address gaps in the evaluation of arts-based interventions, surveys, focus groups, peer to peer interviews, arts-based evaluation workshops, and field notes were used to evaluate SExT before and after the program, and at 3-4 month follow-up for peer educators and audience. Surveys assessed impacts on personal and social development, as well as impacts on sexual health. Qualitative and arts-based methods were used to understand the how and why of any program impacts. Youth were included as active partners in the research process. The data is in the process of being analyzed and preliminary results are extremely encouraging.
For more information on the research component, click here.
Aiming to address gaps in the evaluation of arts-based interventions, surveys, focus groups, peer to peer interviews, arts-based evaluation workshops, and field notes were used to evaluate SExT before and after the program, and at 3-4 month follow-up for peer educators and audience. Surveys assessed impacts on personal and social development, as well as impacts on sexual health. Qualitative and arts-based methods were used to understand the how and why of any program impacts. Youth were included as active partners in the research process. The data is in the process of being analyzed and preliminary results are extremely encouraging.
For more information on the research component, click here.
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So what’s next? Well, we are still growing! In February 2016 SExT performed at FOOT 2016 (The Festival of Original Theatre: Staging Realities), hosted by the University of Toronto. The show then made its professional debut at the Toronto Fringe Festival in July 2016, showcasing the evolution of the project for the public at large. After a critically-acclaimed run and a -NNNN review from NOW Magazine, SExT went on to perform at the Summerworks Theatre Festival (where it made Critics Pick) as well as The One More Night Festival. In 2017, we partnered with Ophea to perform SExT for over 1000 high school students at Toronto's Factory Theatre. |
Where you may have seen us ...
2018
Youth Sexual Health Research Symposium - Keynote Performance (University of Toronto)
2017
Touchy Subject: Sexuality Education in Ontario Schools Workshop - University of Toronto
The Art of Changing the World 2017 - Carleton University (Ottawa)
Ophea Healthy Living Conference - Scotiabank Convention Centre (Niagara Falls)
Flemingdon Health Centre Annual General Meeting - Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute (Toronto)
Be Scene Mental Health Magazine Launch - Flemingdon Health Centre (Toronto)
OPHEA Campaign Messengers Retreat: a youth sexual violence prevention forum - YMCA Cedar Glen (Schomberg, ON)
Unison's African, Black, Carribean & Latino Health & Wellness Day: a community event addressing HIV stigma - Jane Street Hub (Toronto)
Free shows to high schools in the GTA *in partnership with OPHEA - Factory Theatre (Toronto)
Youth Sexual Health Research Symposium *Keynote Performance - (University of Toronto)
2016
Willowdale Community Legal Services Winter Fest (Toronto)
World AIDS Day 2016 (Toronto)
One More Night Festival - Toronto
South Asian Health Promotion Day - Fairview Community Health (Toronto)
Summerworks Theatre Festival *Top 10 Anticipated, Toronto Star - Factory Theatre (Toronto)
Sing For Your Supper (Toronto)
Toronto Fringe Festival *4 stars & Critic's Pick, Now Magazine; A-, My Entertainment World; Outstanding Ensemble, The Torontoist - Annex Theatre (Toronto)
Community Preview - Flemingdon Health Centre (Toronto)
Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute - Sexual Violence Awareness Week (Toronto)
FOOT Conference Performance - University of Toronto
2014
Palmerston Library, Toronto
Ontario Science Centre, Toronto
Youth Sexual Health Research Symposium - Keynote Performance (University of Toronto)
2017
Touchy Subject: Sexuality Education in Ontario Schools Workshop - University of Toronto
The Art of Changing the World 2017 - Carleton University (Ottawa)
Ophea Healthy Living Conference - Scotiabank Convention Centre (Niagara Falls)
Flemingdon Health Centre Annual General Meeting - Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute (Toronto)
Be Scene Mental Health Magazine Launch - Flemingdon Health Centre (Toronto)
OPHEA Campaign Messengers Retreat: a youth sexual violence prevention forum - YMCA Cedar Glen (Schomberg, ON)
Unison's African, Black, Carribean & Latino Health & Wellness Day: a community event addressing HIV stigma - Jane Street Hub (Toronto)
Free shows to high schools in the GTA *in partnership with OPHEA - Factory Theatre (Toronto)
Youth Sexual Health Research Symposium *Keynote Performance - (University of Toronto)
2016
Willowdale Community Legal Services Winter Fest (Toronto)
World AIDS Day 2016 (Toronto)
One More Night Festival - Toronto
South Asian Health Promotion Day - Fairview Community Health (Toronto)
Summerworks Theatre Festival *Top 10 Anticipated, Toronto Star - Factory Theatre (Toronto)
Sing For Your Supper (Toronto)
Toronto Fringe Festival *4 stars & Critic's Pick, Now Magazine; A-, My Entertainment World; Outstanding Ensemble, The Torontoist - Annex Theatre (Toronto)
Community Preview - Flemingdon Health Centre (Toronto)
Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute - Sexual Violence Awareness Week (Toronto)
FOOT Conference Performance - University of Toronto
2014
Palmerston Library, Toronto
Ontario Science Centre, Toronto
