Supporting the health, rights, and identities of youth...

Sexuality is not only physical, but also chemical, emotional, intellectual, social, and cultural. Young people in Illinois have the right to sexuality education that reflects their needs and questions about all these dimensions of sexuality. For this reason, ICAH offers sexuality education in multiple styles that meet the National Sexuality Education Standards.

ICAH youth workshops are facilitated by CHAT Educators, Adult Educators, and/or Theater Artists. CHAT Educators (ages 16-22) receive rigorous sexuality education and facilitation training through ICAH (see CHAT). Theater Artists are professional actors who use plays and theater activities to help youth activate their learning and practice for real life (see FYI). Adult Educators are advanced practitioners in the public health field who receive extensive training from ICAH. 

Peer Education Workshops are co-facilitated by a CHAT Educator and an Adult Educator. Our Performance-based Programming offers participatory plays, which open the door to safe and engaging conversations, and workshops co-facilitated by an Adult Educator and a Theater Artist.

ICAH’s Sexuality Education aligns with our mission, vision, reproductive justice framework, and youth development framework. Our information reflects an approach to sexuality education that is medically accurate, developmentally- and age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and inclusive of youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Discounts for 6, 8 and 10-week residencies are available. Sliding scale rates are available to underfunded and unfunded groups and organizations.

We can work together to envision how ICAH programming can best support your young people’s needs. Each subject listed in the menu below can be explored through content education via peer workshops, emotional education via performance-based workshops, or through residencies that combine the two.

Please scroll down to see our full menu of topics. To request ICAH programming for your organization or to have programs tailored to your needs, email ICAH or call 312-427-4460.

+ What is peer education?

Peer education workshops are led by CHAT youth who complete ICAH’s sexuality education professional development program. ICAH staff and youth leaders work collaboratively, offering interactive modules that are medically accurate, age-appropriate, and youth-friendly. Peer educators are supported by an adult educator during all workshops.

+ What is performance-based education?

Rooted in the characters and stories of our plays, all performance-based curriculum is facilitated by an Adult Educator and Theater Artist. Workshops and residencies use participatory theatre tools to cultivate inquiry and provide students with opportunities to practice applying sexual health education content to their own lives.

+ What is a residency?

ICAH Adult Educators, CHAT educators and performers train young people to think creatively and critically about their sexual health. Residencies begin with a performance of one of our participatory plays, and over the course of the next seven to nine sessions, engage students through participatory theatre tools to cultivate inquiry and apply the sexuality education content learned to their lives.

+ What's in ICAH's secret sauce?

All our youth education programs feature:

  1. Active inquiry about sustainable change and dialogue that investigates sexual health through a reproductive justice framework.
  2. Diversity in our storytelling that honors a range of experiences across race, class, gender, ability, sexuality, and other identity lines.
  3. Youth voice, youth leadership, and creative engagement between youth and their communities so that young people feel comfortable asking questions.
  4. Challenges to assumptions, common language, and shame.

+ What are ICAH’s approaches to comprehensive sexuality education?

All ICAH Curriculum reflects a youth-centered approach to sexuality education that is firmly rooted in reproductive justice and:

  • Medically Accurate
  • Developmentally and Age Appropriate
  • Culturally Responsive
  • Trauma-Informed
  • Harm and Risk Reductive
  • Sex-Positive and Pleasure-Centered
  • LGBTQIA+ Inclusive
  • Pro-Choice/Access

Program Menu

*indicates performance-based workshop
†indicates peer education workshop

please click the category headings below to explore

For Youth Inquiry (FYI) Touring Plays

Project US follows four friends as they discover and question how they learn and talk about sex. This play uses games and audience interaction to cultivate inquiry and dialogue about sexuality and relationships. Best suits small audiences from 15 - 35 participants.

Start the Convo: Sex Ed Rescripted features a sex ed teacher and student who explore pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention through interactive games and storytelling. This play offers multiple ways for youth and adults to partner and implement positive approaches to sexuality education. Best suits large audiences from 50 - 800 participants.

Can I Hit It? follows four friends as they discuss how sexual violence impacts their lives and school community. This movement and game-based play leads audiences to define sexual violence and understand what they can do to prevent it. Flexible audience play; is adaptable to both small and large audiences.

Project US follows four friends as they discover and question how they learn and talk about sex. Download an excerpt of the script here.

Can I Hit It? follows four friends as they discuss how sexual violence impacts their lives and school community. Download an excerpt of the script here.