So yeah, the sun is starting to come out and play and we all about ready to get our tan on! YEAYA! So over the summer what are you fullahs up to? Many of us will be catching up with our fams and maybe going on holiday to some cool as place in Aotearoa. Summer fun and Summer love can come along so we just wanted to share some thoughts and words of wisdom wif you all...
1. BE SAFE! Stay with your mates at parties and don't walk off without them! Let them know where you are going and keep an eye on them too- be their best friend!
2. Don't drink too much- know your limits! Binge drinking can make you forgetful, unable to make the right decision and unable to speak or move!
3. Its alright to say NO! NO means NO! Respect yourself and love yourself- others will love you for it!
4. CONDOMS used with lube and put on correctly will protect you from both STI's and PREGNANCY!!!
5. REMEMBER both girls and boys are responsible for practicing safe sex so girls make sure you dont rely on the fellas to always have the rubber for the hubba hubba.
6. Abstinence means waiting till marriage to have sex for the first time- how cool would that be!
7. Did you know NEW ZEALAND holds one of the highest Chlamydia rates in the WORLD! SCARY! Anyone can get it from having unprotected sex so don't think you wont! Its inevitable if you don't wear a condom and you don't know if your partner has it!
8. Genital Herpes and Genital Worts can be passed on through skin to skin contact EW!
9. Its ok to not want to go further than touching and kissing- let your boyfriend or girlfriend know by talking with them about it- COMMUNICATION is the key.
10. If you need medical advice see your Doctor, Family Planning Association (FPA), Local sexual Health Clinic their numbers are in the front of the phone book in the blue section. STI check ups are free to under 25 year olds! 12 boxes of condoms for $3!

Finally, HAVE THE BEST SUMMER OF 2007!

Te Puawai Tapu has been developing and delivering sexuality education programmes to year 9 & year 10 students in Schools and Wharekura in the Wellington region with a predominantly Maori roll since 1998.

The sexuality programmes are delivered by kaiako Rangatahi using a youth education model, and incorperating different learning styles in an interactive enviroment.

Given that sexuality is a complex subject incorperating more than just sex, the programmes are facilitated a framework called the six concepts of seuality. To ensure the programs are relivant for rangatahi(Sexual educators)( use a questions and answers process to 'get to where rangatahi are at'.

As a public health organisation, and currently the only Maori sexual and reproductive organisation contracted to provide these services, Te Puawai Tapu works closly with other Maori working in sexual health across the country to ensure these servises represent the views of the sector, and also meet their needs.