#Unfiltered
Youth-Led Action in HIV Prevention and Sexual Health
The mission of #unfiltered is to empower youth and young adults to direct the improvement and expansion of comprehensive and accessible HIV/STI prevention and sexual health services offered through CHN/HeyDenver. We fulfill this mission by providing a variety of initiatives for young people aged 15-24 across the state of Colorado to engage in HIV/STI prevention and education. These initiatives include but are not limited to leadership opportunities, direct sexual health services, and digital media campaigns.
The youth #unfiltered programming currently focuses on The Sexpert School, which is an online, comprehensive sexual health peer education training program for Colorado youth. Sexperts provide professional development, community education, and collaborative opportunities for partners across private, non-profit, and health sectors working towards bettering the health and lives of young people. #Unfiltered continues to explore unique funding sources, collaborations, and research opportunities to provide innovative and community-focused programming in youth/young-adult HIV prevention and sexual health.
#unfiltered Values and Philosophy
The values that drive our program include:
- Youth-driven
- Intersectional
- Social justice
- Stigma-free
- Medically accurate
- Culturally responsive
Our program is dedicated to amplifying youth/young adult leadership, thus we utilize and advocate for models such as Social Justice Youth Development (SJYD) that: prioritize the voices of young people in decision making; trust young people as experts in their lived experiences; and recognize that young people that bring unique strengths and skills, thus they are critical assets in our communities. Additionally, we commit to challenging systems of oppression such as adultism, racism, and transphobia, as these power systems and inequities serve as critical barriers to the health and wellness of young people.
To learn more or to get involved, please contact us:
Leah Dirkse, Youth Programs Manager
leah.dirkse@coloradohealthnetwork.org
Nearly half of young people feel they are either not at all informed or only somewhat informed about HIV. #unfiltered is here to change that.
Follow us on Instagram! @come_unfiltered
