The Sexual Health Centre at Peter's Street in Cork city.

Five year plan for Sexual Health Centre

Educating people with an intellectual disability about their sexual health is one the aims of a new five year plan launched on Monday by the Sexual Health Centre.

Other goals include providing sexual health services online, face-to-face and over the phone as well as via user-friendly publications and communications and delivering outreach programmes to inform and support young people in out-of-school settings.

The plan’s primary focus lies on forging strategic partnerships, expansion of the locally-centred services and the enhanced use of modern and digital channels for improved client communication.

In the next five years, the Sexual Health Centre aims to further normalise the current perception of sexual health in Cork and ensure that all communities have access to the most up-to-date and innovative sexual health programmes. The Sexual Health Centre has been delivering the most in-demand sexual health services to the people of Cork city and county for over 30 years.

By 2023, the centre commits to the introduction of the services that reflect the growing needs of the local community, including the innovative disability programme, providing sexual health services and education to people with mental or physical disability and providing for individuals experiencing period poverty.

The outlined programmes would be unique to the centre and will be introduced in light of the identified needs and received requests from clients and partner organisations.

Ciarán Lynch, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sexual Health Centre, said: “I’m delighted to launch the Sexual Health Centre’s strategic plan which is an ambitious vision for the work and services provided by staff, volunteers and partners of the organisation for the next five years.

“Throughout the past thirty years, the Sexual Health Centre has been through a number of transformations, navigating and responding to the constantly evolving area of sexual health in Ireland. Over the next five years, the Sexual Health Centre will continue to provide quality, professional services to an evolving community, building on existing partnerships and developing new and responsive collaborations on the journey.”