The LIEBESLEBEN Join-In Project - A School Project on Sexual Health

»LIEBESLEBEN - The Join-In Project« is an interactive, free-of-charge program by the Federal Institute for Public Health aimed at secondary schools, including special education schools. The project is targeted at students aged 12 to 18 as well as teachers and educational professionals. Many young people discover sexuality gradually and have to confront many different questions and insecurities – from physical changes and the first relationships to communication about feelings and the experience of sexuality. The project’s goal is to promote the sexual health of adolescents and to contribute in the long term to the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). »LIEBESLEBEN - The Join-In Project« is implemented in cooperation with the Association of Private Health Insurance Providers (PKV).

The Project

The project provides low-threshold, quality assured information on the topics of protection and safer sex, friendship and relationships, the body and emotions, HIV and other STIs, diversity and respect, as well as sexuality and the media. Participating schools receive a comprehensive kit of materials featuring interactive methods, as well as training opportunities for teachers and educational professionals. In addition, the project fosters networking with external experts such as counseling centers and specialist services. This supports the integration of the topics into everyday school life and helps ensure the sustainable transfer of knowledge and practical skills.

To reach as many schools as possible nationwide and to ensure the long-term integration of sexual health into school education, the project follows two main approaches.

School events: Schools have the opportunity to host an on-site interactive event with workshop-stations for students, facilitated by trained professionals. Complementary training is provided for both school-based and external educators and specialists on how to address the topics of sexual health effectively.

Implementation at federal state level: In cooperation with each federal state, a region-specific training structure is established. Teachers and professionals are trained in the use of the materials provided in the kit and connected with external experts.

Project Goals

The subject of HIV and STIs is a central one from a prevention perspective, but from young people’s perspective it is just one among many. For this reason HIV and STI prevention has to be conceived and implemented in a comprehensive manner when addressed in a school context. In schools we can reach young people from different social backgrounds with our new project. In addition, new generations naturally have to acquire knowledge and competencies; it is our goal to teach these interactively in our project, and »from person to person« in conversations.

Specific goals:

schools and experts as well as teachers employed at schools possess different methods of communication about a variety of subjects, as well as relevant materials about preventing HIV and STIs and promoting sexual health
students develop a self-confident, responsible form of conduct that respects boundaries for themselves and others by confronting different topics of sexual health and self-determination
students, teachers, mothers, fathers, legal guardians and others authorized to care for young people lose any inhibitions they might have when it comes to communicating about sexuality-related sensitive and taboo subjects, and receive communication aids so they become (even) more able to talk about these matters and to nurture open communication quite generally
students and teachers are sensitized to having a respectful, non-discriminatory attitude with solidarity towards people who are HIV positive and people with different identities and sexual orientations

Participation from the Outset

The Federal Institute for Public Health has not developed the new project just for the target groups described; the project has been developed with them from the outset and scientifically reviewed. We have included representatives of the target groups involved in the planning and implementation process from the start. At preparatory workshops, we discussed our initial thoughts in depth with representatives from the relevant ministries in the federal states, with parent-and-teacher organizations, with advice centres and competence centres working in HIV and STI prevention and sexual health. And of course we also consulted with students attending different types of school. Together and in partnership we then developed the goals stated above and compiled the central contents for six modules for the project.

Project material for download

A school project for sexual health | PDF | (2 MB)

The introduction contains a description of all the methods used in LIEBESLEBEN - The Join-In Project. You will also find an example of an event using the methods as well as information on sexuality, HIV and other STIs.