Rutgers Foundation

Online platform for teens with questions about flirting, dating, identity, safe sex, fun, and relationships

Challenge

Many young people experience sex education in high school as functional. The focus is mainly on technical information, while they want to learn more about the fun, personal and social aspects of sex. About intimacy, connection and self-expression. About what you like and how you can discover that. About respect for others and for yourself. It is precisely these themes that teachers and parents find difficult to discuss with young people. While such a broad and positive approach to relationships and sexuality also improves condom and contraceptive use and the prevention of STDs and transgressive behavior. How can we enrich sex education and better connect it to young people's needs?

In addition to the feeds on various themes such as love, identity, and sex, Seggsy also features interviews with experiences from young people across the Netherlands. The items from these young people can be found under a separate feed with a different name for privacy reasons.

Solution

In collaboration with Rutgers, Sense.info, Soa Aids Netherlands and Dance4Life, we developed the online platform SEGGSY: a place where young people can discover what they find important, exciting, tasty and fun. It is a tool that allows young people to form their own opinions on all topics surrounding sexual development. From flirting and falling in love, to gender and discovering your body.

It is a place where young people themselves can have their say. Young people from all over the country, with different ages, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities... We went from Nijmegen to Friesland and from a Christian grammar school to a vocational college. There we interviewed young people about their experiences and thoughts about sex. For example, about how they knew they were ready for their first time, what they think is important in bed, and whether or not they shave their pubic area. These interviews are the beating heart of SEGGSY.

We were watching a movie on the couch. She was sitting against me. I wanted to get my drink and then we kissed. It was also a little uncomfortable because she was sitting all turned around with her head and so was I.

Mason

SEGGSY is an interactive platform. For example, play a duo quiz on gender norms and learn more about consent. Discover your own body and check how open-minded you are. Test if you are ready for sex and when something crosses your boundary. Listen to Mason talk about his first time and to Felise's advice for a broken heart.

Impact

Young people say they are happy with the launch of Seggsy. "I noticed that in my social circle there is often a kind of standard when it comes to sex anyway, as if everyone at school is already in a relationship or has had sex. Through SEGGSY, I found out that this is not the case at all," says one of them. Thus, SEGGSY capitalizes on young people's curiosity and helps them navigate through their own sexual development. In a positive, enjoyable and healthy way. Exactly as sex itself should be.