Selkirk Supports Safer Sex

Feb 15, 2012 by Sentinel

By Jessica Vandecar

The Options for Sexual Health Clinic, now operating on the Castlegar Campus of Selkirk College, provides a spectacular platform for a community health initiative. The Selkirk College Options Clinic improves community health in a multitude of ways, such as providing low-barrier and low-cost services to college student populations who often live at risk. The clinic promotes a harm reduction philosophy, which is proven to improve health outcomes, and is accessible to all students.
Options clinics provide low barrier health services at no cost to students. Information, education, support for reproductive choice, sexually transmitted infection screening and treatments, in addition to low cost birth control methods, are all provided in a safe and confidential environment.
The World Health Organization recognizes socio-economic status as the biggest determinant of health and well being. “Starving students” is more than an off the cuff remark as students are often living below the poverty line and rely heavily on credit, be it government or personal, to see them through school.
College students recognize barriers to devoting sufficient time and energy to their education due to financial constraints. On February 28, 2011 the Selkirk Sentinel developed a short film entitled Students Talk: Increase to Tuition Fees, where students voiced personal health sacrifices to support their educational costs. They declared deficits in nutrition, housing, and in disposable cash for quality of life to support mental health and well being.
Harm reduction philosophy can be summarized as a community based, non-judgmental, health promotion method that assists isolated or marginalized populations. Options for Sexual Health focuses on reducing or minimizing harm that is associated with sexual risk taking behaviours without sacrificing dignity or respect of individual choice.
Locally, high-schools do not provide comprehensive sexual health education or information. This shortfall translates to young adults lacking appropriate knowledge for practicing safer sex in an environment commonly associated with binge drinking, casual sexual encounters, and multiple sexual partners. Health implications of these actions include unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The campus clinic can assist to bridge this knowledge gap by providing comprehensive, cost-effective health services.
In addition, to attend the Castlegar Campus of Selkirk College, students either commute or live on campus. The transit situation in Castlegar is less than satisfactory with few buses running, and inopportune bus schedules. This geographical isolation and complex school timetables create difficulty for students to access health services in their community.
Selkirk College is the 2nd college campus in BC to offer Options for Sexual Health services. This clinic brings together Selkirk’s commitment to education and community leadership, with Options BC’s commitment to create positive sexual self image through harm reduction strategies for a common goal of community health.

This service is provided every Thursday in the Monashee Wing of the Castlegar Campus between the hours of 11am and 1pm. True to their low-barrier philosophy, the clinic hopes accommodate all students. Please contact us with questions or concerns via selkirk.opt@gmail.com or the Facebook page, Selkirk Options for Sexual Health Clinic.

Jessica Vandecar is a 4th year BScN student with the University of Victoria attending Selkirk College, who is a volunteer with Options for Sexual Health BC, has a passion for community health, and has been involved with the opening of the Selkirk OPT Clinic.

For more information about Options for Sexual Health visit www.optionsforsexualhealth.org