Abstract
M.Cur.
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the role of significantothers in sex education of the Vha-Venda youth and to describe principles of managing sex education of the youth by community nurses.
The researcher's view was that if sexuality education of the youth was done effectively, the youth might acquire the necessary knowledge of sex that would help them to deal with the social, physical and emotional demands of sexuality as they occur. This could reduce the high level of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among the youth.
An exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was followed to achieve the aim of this study. Data was obtained from the youth, parents, guardians community nurses through focus group interviews.
The main categories that emerged from the process of data analysis are as follows: The content of sex information given to the youth, the role of significant others in sex education of the youth, strategies that are used in providing sex education to the youth and obstacles in providing sex education to the youth. The results of this study show that the content of sexuality information given to the youth is not adequate. The role of significant others in sexuality education of the youth was found to be educating, guiding,
advising and listening to the youth when talking about sexuality issues.
Mothers and teachers were identified to be the people mostly involved in sexuality education of the youth. The study also revealed that sexuality' education of the Vha-Venda Youth is started very late in a child's life. Non effective strategies of providing sexuality information are used by parents and guardians. All three groups of respondents
identified common obstacles in providing sexuality education of the youth.
The results of this study and literature control were used as the basis for description of principles of managing sexuality education of the youth effectively by the community nurses .
Recommendations ensuing from this study are that community nurses should involve themselves in assessment of need for help and assist the youth and parents, particularly mothers and teachers according to their needs. Nursing curricula should include guidelines on sexuality education and facilitation of parent's role as primary sexuality
educators of their own children. The findings of this study can be considered for designing in-service education programs for community nurses and the curriculum for the training of community nurses in under and post graduate level.
Further research needs to be done to assess if the principles described in this study are effective in managing sexuality education of the youths.