Using Be in the KNOW to support young people’s sexual health

Be in the KNOW has everything you need to help young people understand and take action on HIV and sexual health. Be in the KNOW will help you:

• Answer young people’s questions and offer actionable advice

We have answers to the most common questions on sex, sexual health and relationships. All our content is designed for young people, particularly in English-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, and provides answers to questions that our research tells us young people want to know.

We cover a wide range of topics, from what periods and the menstrual cycle are to what HIV treatment is and how it works. The information given is always up-to-date and accurate, and it is written in a way that young people will understand and trust.

Be in the KNOW offers advice to help young people take action in the real world – like how to spot red flags in an unhealthy relationship or feel confident asking for an HIV test.

Our content for young people is split into three sections:

Sex and relationships: Learning how to have sex, how to do it safely, and who to do it with is all part of exploring healthy relationships. These pages will help you support young people to understand the facts about sex and relationships, including whether they are ready for sex or not. It covers a range of issues such as healthy relationships, different types of sex, first-time sex, preventing pregnancy, consent, sexuality, sexual pleasure and mental health.

HIV and other STIs: This section is designed to help young people understand what HIV, AIDS and the different types of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are, what symptoms to look out for, and how HIV and STIs are passed on. It provides advice on the different ways to prevent HIV and STIs, including a step-by-step, myth-busting guide to using condoms, how STIs are treated, and how to talk to partners about issues like safer sex or having an STI. It also offers advice on why and when to test for HIV and the different ways to get tested.

Living with HIV: This section provides lots of advice and information for young people with HIV, including how to understand and share their HIV status, how to adhere to HIV treatment and deal with side effects, and what being ‘undetectable’ means. It also covers how to live well with HIV, including advice on co-infections, connecting with other young people with HIV, dealing with HIV stigma, and how to take care of physical and mental health and well-being.

• Kick-start important conversations

We know that sexual health can be hard to talk about and that there are a lot of taboos, awkwardness and embarrassment surrounding these issues. We also believe that talking openly about sexual health, whether with a healthcare worker, a trusted adult, their peers or a partner, is a vital cornerstone in helping young people understand their options and make healthy choices.

We also know that many young people want  to have these conversations but feel unable to. That’s why our content provides not only advice and information but also tools to help young people, and anyone supporting them, kick start conversations around sex, relationships, sexual health and HIV.

• Share vital information and great health advice

All our content is designed to be shared and to help young people take action. And because it is fun and engaging, sharing it can help you kick-start conversations or ensure young people listen to, trust and take on board the information you are providing.

Be in the KNOW’s website works well on mobiles and  there is an option to switch to low-data use at the top of the website  This means all our pages and resources are easy to access and to share.

Different learning levels: get the basics then go in-depth

All our advice-seeker pages have two levels of learning:

• the basics tab answers the main questions and provides key advice for young people on each topic
• the in-detail tab covers more complex areas of the topic, plus practical ideas and guidance to help you support young people in relation to the issue.

As well as information and advice pages, many of the issues covered on Be in the KNOW come with videos, infographics, personal stories and interactive tools like quizzes and discussion starters.

Here are the different resources on offer and how to use them. All of them are free to use.

There are loads of discussion starters all over Be in the KNOW. Each one poses a question then provides ideas to help you think through the answers, as well as linking to helpful content. Use the discussion starters to have open, honest conversations with the young people you support to get them thinking about a certain topic.

You can share discussion starters one-to-one on WhatsApp or via social media (direct messages are best for this). You can also share a discussion starter in a group chat. Once you have shared it, continue the conversation online via messages or a call, or suggest that you discuss the topic together in person the next time you meet.

You can also use discussion starters face-to-face to kick-off or frame conversations about sensitive issues, whether you are working with young people in a group or one-to-one. Get the discussion starter up on your phone and read it out, or print it out or share it to people’s phones, then dive into the discussion!

These are quick online quizzes that you and the young people you support can use to test knowledge on different topics relating to sex, sexual health and relationships. Most answers are multiple choice, or ‘true/false’ responses, so they are easy to do.

You can share a quiz online with a young person through WhatsApp, a direct social media message, or by sending them a link. Asking them to take the quiz and share their score will help you work out how knowledgeable a young person is on a topic so you can discuss any gaps in their understanding.

In person, you can use the quizzes to start a group session on a certain topic, or use it at the end to see how the group’s understanding has improved. You can also complete the quiz one-on-one with a young person to see where their thinking is at, and which areas they might need more information or advice on.

See all our quizzes.

Be in the KNOW has lots of videos for you to watch and share. There’s a huge range of topics. These include common sex and relationship dilemmas, fun animations that help young people get to grips with how to have good relationships and great sex while staying in control of their health. There’s tips on gay dating, getting support if you’re trans, the basics of HIV and so much more.

You can share these videos on WhatsApp groups, on your public social profiles or one-to-one in a direct message.

In person, you can use videos at the start or end of group sessions to kick off a discussion or to start a ‘brainstorm’ to tackle myths and misconceptions. You can also use videos in the middle of a session to add some variety and break up activities that involve a lot of listening.

These are short articles featuring young people, mainly from East and Southern Africa, who talk open and honestly about their real-life experiences of sex, relationships, STIs and HIV.

You can share the stories online to help young people feel less alone and understand issues in a way that feels real and relevant to them. You can also share them in WhatsApp groups or on social media groups or forums to start discussions and help bust stigma.

In person, you can use them in group work to ask young people what they think of the person’s story and what advice they would give a friend in a similar situation. They are also a good way to brainstorm ideas and views on a topic at the start or end of a session.

See all our personal stories.

HIV is a huge topic, but we have you covered. Our news stories and blogs will help you cut through the jargon and understand the most up-to-date issues and research relating to young people’s sexual health and the HIV response. Heard about a new version of PrEP being trialled? And what about an HIV vaccine? We cover the latest developments alongside practical ideas for how to use these findings in your work.

We also have two additional website sections which are aimed at helping anyone working on HIV and sexual health understand the wider context. The first section covers what is driving the HIV epidemic, who is affected and what’s happening where you are. The second covers best practice in HIV prevention, testing, treatment and digital programming.

Follow our social channels for the latest Be in the KNOW advice, blogs, news stories and resources, and connect with a growing online community committed to improving young people’s sexual health.

You can find us on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram under @BITKhealth, and on LinkedIn at Be in the KNOW.