Sense Project

Are you interested in leading sex ed workshops with youth? Do you want to contribute to the Sense Project at Head & Hands? We are currently seeking new volunteer animators for the 2010-11 school year!

Some need-to-know info about applying to be a Sense Project animator:

• New animators must be aged 25 and under
• We’re looking for people who can commit to being an animator for the entire school year (Sept-early Dec, Jan-May)
• Animators should have at least some availability on weekdays during the day. Some evening and weekend availability is appreciated too. Last year’s animators volunteered an average of 65 hours each throughout the school year, but how much you end up volunteering depends on your schedule and your availability.
• Bilingualism is not mandatory, but it’s an asset if you are comfortable animating in French. The working language of the training is English.
• It is also an asset if you have previous animation experience or experience working with youth, but it’s not a requirement.
• It is mandatory to attend the full animator training (see dates below)

Animator training dates:

Tuesday Sept. 7^th 6-9pm

Thursday Sept. 9^th 6-9pm

Saturday Sept. 11^th 11-4pm

Tuesday Sept. 14^th 6-9pm

Thursday Sept. 16^th 6-9pm

Saturday Sept. 18^th 11-4pm

Tuesday Sept. 21^st 6-9pm

Thursday Sept. 23^rd 6-9pm

Saturday Sept. 25^th 11-4pm

If you meet these criteria, please contact Nikki at (514)481-0277 or healthed@headandhands.ca. We’ll then book a short screening interview with selected volunteers! The deadline to apply is Friday, August 13^th. If you have any questions, contact Nikki at (514) 481-0277!

Great article on the chilling effect of “security” in U.S. schools. It gives a good idea of what happens when adults start viewing youth as potential criminals rather than full members of the community. Thankfully, we haven’t gone too over-the-top with that here in Quebec so far, but we need to stay vigilant to make sure it never becomes like this.

I remember the day they installed the cameras in my high school. Everyone was surprised when we walked and saw them hanging ominously from the ceiling.

Everyone except me: I moved to rural Virginia from the wealthier and more heavily populated region of northern Virginia. Cameras have watched me since middle school. So I wasn’t surprised, just disappointed. “What have we done?” asked one of my friends. It felt like the faculty was punishing us for something. A common justification for cameras is that they make students safer, and make them feel more secure. I can tell you from first hand experience that that argument is bullshit. Columbine had cameras, but they didn’t make the 15 people who died there any safer. Cameras don’t make you feel more secure; they make you feel twitchy and paranoid. Some people say that the only people who don’t like school cameras are the people that have something to hide. But having the cameras is a constant reminder that the school does not trust you and that the school is worried your fellow classmates might go on some sort of killing rampage.

Seen Not Heard @ boingboing.net

Me too!

While this video is heterosexist because it assumes that all women enjoy penises and that only women enjoy penises, it still confirms part of what Hugo Vaillancourt shares on p.234 of our amazing Peer Education Manual. Are you big enough? See for yourself…

Am I Big Enough?

By Hugo Vaillancourt

When it comes to penis size, “size doesn’t matter” is the politically correct mantra constantly repeated over and over. Yet, “size doesn’t matter” should be recognized for what it really is: a well-meaning lie and an attempt to avoid the delicate matter at hand. Let’s face it: if you’re a guy, you’ve probably wondered if you were big enough at some point in your life. If penis size wasn’t such a chief concern among males, you would be getting much less obnoxious spam in your e-mail box. So penis size does matter to an awful lot of people.

We live in a society that has eroticized huge penises. There are very few male porn actors or models who have a smaller or even average-sized penis - and for us young men, porn can sometimes be the only measure of comparison. However, porn is misleading: It’s intended to be fantasy, it doesn’t represent reality and it’s chock-full of stereotypes.

Here are the cold, hard facts. Most erect penises measure between 12 and 17 centimetres in length (between 5 and 7 inches approximately) and 4 cm in diameter (one inch and a half) at the widest portion. The size of a flaccid (soft) penis is not proportional to its size in erection; actually, penises that are longer when flaccid expand much less in erection than smaller soft penises. Penis size is completely unconnected to the size of other body parts: big hands and big feet do not mean a big dick. Finally, a teenager’s penis usually takes a few years to fully develop; if you haven’t hit 16, or even 17-18 years old, odds are that you still have some growing up to do below the belt.

Some people do like bigger penises: they enjoy having a handful, or they get more stimulation out of being penetrated by it (in this regard, girth - thickness - seems to make more of a difference than length). However, there are disadvantages to being “large”. It can make vaginal or anal penetration more difficult, even painful; just like penises, body openings also come in larger or smaller sizes which may not be compatible with a large penis. Big penises can also be intimidating to some people.

On the other hand, having a smaller penis can be reassuring to your partner and make penetration much easier.Small penises can also be sucked quite effortlessly for a long time, which is a bonus for both you and your partner, something that doesn’t go even for average-sized penises (unless you have a really big mouth). Finally, penis size makes no physical difference to the pleasure its owner gets out of it.

Yet, even though the size of your penis can impact your sexual activities, there are so many more things that are important to having a fulfilling sex life. Chemistry and an openness to communicate with your partner. Imagination, creativity and sensuality. Daring tongues and fingers. Enthusiasm and shamelessness. In a sexual relationship without these things, even a foot-long banana will not prevent the relationship from being dull, mechanical and routine. After all, the brain is the Number One sex organ. That, and maybe the heart.

Tags: Dick, Erect, Erection, Fantasy, Flaccid, Heterosexism, Peer Education Manual, penetration, Penis, Penis size, Phallic, Phallus, porn, Pornography, Teenager, youth

I came across this article today. It is worth checking out for yourself. But, in any case, here are some key points and concerns:

Catholic schools in Yellowknife will not be providing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination shots to its students. Sandy Lee, minister of health and social services for the Northwest Territories does not agree with this decision and ensures that the shots will still be provided by the ministry.

That being said, many HPV types can lead to a variety of cancers, cervical cancer being the one most commonly associated with this STI. So, while the ministry will still continue to provide the shots, the Catholic School Board has just made it rather difficult for its students to obtain it.

Interestingly, the board does provide other vaccines. So, why not HPV shots? Well, apparently, they want the parents to decide if their child(ren) should get the vaccine or not. Unfortunately for them, though, if they allow other forms of immunization then this argument doesn’t really stand on its feet.

Perhaps an education campaign would have been a better way to go…Who needs more barriers?!

Are things crazy busy at work and/or school? Looking for a way to decompress and have fun? Well, look no further because we have teamed up with the Farha Foundation to raise money for the Sense Project and will be doing so by dancing our way down Saint-Catherine’s. So, please join us this Sunday and bust a move…or two! We can guarantee booty shakin’ goodness!

Stuff you should know…

When: Sunday, September 20^th

Where: Departure Site is Parc Émilie-Gamelin (Berri-UQAM Metro)

Who: Members of Head & Hands community

Why: “Ça Marche” is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and the importance of prevention. We will, also, be working towards our goal of raising 9999$ for the Sense Project - our peer based sex education program.

Obviously you want to get involved but don’t know how, so, check out these options:

1. Sponsor* us online by clicking here. 

2. Join our online team and invite your friends and family to donate* (pledge forms are also available in our office).

3. Come out and get sweaty with us on September 20^th .

4. Forward this email to 10 friends….and join your team to our page and benefit H&H!

Hope to see you on Sunday,

Cheers!

p.s. This year’s dance theme will be inspired by Run-DMC’s It’s Like That.

To see how much fun it was last year, check out this video: