What is the certification program?
The OPT Certification Program for Sexual Health Educators is a competency, knowledge and performance-based training program which comprises three elements: a course component, a practicum component, and a continuing education requirement.
The course component consists of a series of three to four day workshops on specific related topics using evidence-based methodology to provide participants with sound theory and opportunities for observation, demonstration, presentation, facilitation, and evaluation.
The practicum component consists of 60 hours of direct instruction and ten hours of supervised instruction, followed by recommendations for certification which are reviewed by the Certification Advisory Committee.
The continuing education component involves periodic knowledge updates and skill guiding workshops. Certified educators are required to complete a minimum number of these sessions to maintain their certification.
Who can participate?
The certification program is for individuals who would like to build a specialized skill set for teaching comprehensive sexual health education to a variety of audiences—preschool, elementary, secondary, post-secondary, professionals, adults, and parents.
It will be of particular interest to teachers to whom sexual health education has been assigned, to health professionals doing community and school education, and to others with some background knowledge and experience in the field, seeking to enhance their skills.
Why we offer certification
Options for Sexual Health is committed to increasing the number of well-qualified sexual health educators in the province as part of its campaign to improve the quality of school sexual health education.
When is the next certification program held?
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