About Contact Plus
For more than 30 years, YWCA’s Contact Plus Program has worked with middle school and high school youth in the Minneapolis Public Schools to provide sexual health education. Contact Plus engages with youth between the ages of 11 – 18 around holistic sexual health education and self-empowerment, so they are informed and active agents of their health. Our focus is to help youth continue to cultivate positive relationships and be leaders in their communities.
Program Details
As part of this program, students:
- Meet in gender-specific, non-binary or coed groups
- Participate in discussions and activities to help learn about themselves and their relationships with others
- Learn how to assertively communicate
- Learn how to make well-informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health
YWCA integrates proven curriculum into the program, including Girls Inc.® Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy in girls groups and has developed an original toolkit focused on inclusive, gender-affirming and pleasure-positive sexuality education.
To learn more about the Contact Plus program or find out if the program is available at your school, contact Syd Corbeil-Wild at swild@ywcampls.org 612-868-5079.
Program Goals
- Students learn to identify and practice components of healthy relationships in all aspects of life.
- Students are informed of current sexual health information such as responsible sex practices, STI & pregnancy prevention and how to access resources.
- Students develop tools to continue to cultivate a healthy sense of how they relate to themselves and others.
Contact Plus Participants
100% of Contact Plus participants demonstrate knowledge of pregnancy prevention and STIs.
Sexuality Education Toolkit
YWCA Minneapolis developed a Sexuality Education Toolkit for youth workers to provide support for educators who want to create an inclusive sexuality education experience for young people.
Youth In Action
Our Youth in Action (YIA) program supports youth in activating their leadership and community advocacy skills.
Participants will:
- Learn about various social issues impacting the community
- Connect with local organizers, activists, artists, and political figures to learn more about various lenses of social justice topics
- Build resume skills and network with local community leaders
- Receive a stipend of $15 per hour
Contact Plus Program Participant
“I don’t want to be with a guy who is trying to push me around. I get to decide when I am ready for all that stuff. I need to focus on school right now, not worry all the time if I might get pregnant!”