There are a multitude of tools and resources available for creating CSE curricula; see the External Resources for some examples. UNESCO’s technical guidance offers 18 characteristics of impactful programming, emphasizing:

• The provision of factual information
• Addressing risky behaviors
• Strengthening protective factors

Curriculum development must be based on the realities and needs of young people in their own environment, and experts as well as community stakeholders should be involved. It should be culturally sensitive, age-specific, sex-positive, and based on gender equity (UNESCO 2018). Consider the ways in which youth learn best, and plan activities that will help them  build skills for health and well being, such as how to nurture healthy interpersonal relationships using effective communication and the ability to make (and assert) informed decisions (UNESCO 2018; IFMSA 2019). Participatory teaching methodologies  are considered essential to ensuring the development of skills and self-efficacy.

Many different educators can be involved in delivering CSE programs, including school teachers, coaches, peer educators and health providers. To be well-informed, educators should receive capacity-building training at the program’s outset, and regular support and monitoring throughout the program. They should also be skilled in developing and leading collaborative, participatory approaches, and be able to elicit high trust from young people. Above all, they need to be accessible and non-judgmental, and approach the CSE information from a practical standpoint, avoiding personal or moral bias.

CSE can be delivered in a variety of different contexts, including schools, vocational centers and youth clubs. Try to ensure that the values and principles being taught through CSE are also espoused by the organization or venue within which it is delivered. Ministries of Education and Health are key stakeholders, as are NGOs and Civil Society Organizations. Given that in most countries, adolescents and youth spend a significant proportion of their days in school, schools represent a cost-effective and sustainable avenue through which to reach adolescents and youth with age- and developmentally-appropriate, incremental information about sexual and reproductive health and life skills. Existing infrastructure and human resources can be used to deliver CSE (UNAIDS 2018, IFMSA 2019). The whole-school approach requires the involvement of all staff members in schools where CSE is taught, establishing a safe environment for the delivery of the curriculum; this approach has been shown to be highly effective at ensuring the sustainability of CSE and reaching more students. In Ziguinchor, Senegal, TCI’s Francophone West Africa Hub is using a step-down training approach to scale up CSE in schools.

There is evidence that the provision of appropriate sexual and reproductive health services impacts adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviors (Chandra-Mouli et al, 2015). Youth require not only knowledge and information on SRH, but also practical information about how and where to access youth-friendly services. Some CSE programs link with service-providing institutions through peer educators, who refer classmates to certain clinics. CSE can be complemented with community-based distribution of condoms and other family planning methods (UNAIDS 2018). Other programs may ask health clinic representatives to visit the school and raise awareness of youth-friendly services. School-based programs may offer weekly or monthly clinics on site to facilitate access for young people (who often find it difficult to access services during their normal operating hours). CSE is about more than just information: It’s about helping young people turn their personal wishes and decisions into realities for their lives. Connecting with services is an essential way to transform information into meaningful action.

Given the time and resource constraints facing many CSE programs, more often than not success is indicated by the number of students attending sessions. But try to get beyond the numbers, with innovative measurements—assessing assess a program’s ability to transform harmful gender norms, empower youth, raise their awareness of their human rights, link with SRH and other health services, and equalize power dynamics in sexual relationships. Pay attention to the gender balance among those reached by CSE, as engaging boys is paramount. As always, the point of reference for determining success should be youth perspectives, needs and realities.