Coordinator, Sexuality Education Programs
Faculty of Health Sciences
Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and SocietyMelbourne (City)
MEd, DipTeach (Prim), Dip Adult Ed and Instructional Design
Adviser, Sexually Transmissible Infections Expert Writing Reference Group, National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy (2009-2013).
Current work:
Talking Sexual Health - Rewriting Australia's First National Sexual Health Secondary Schools' Teaching Program 2012
Talking Sexual Health (TSH) was Australia's first national sexual health education framework endorsed by State and Territory education departments. It has been used as the basis for promoting young people's knowledge, skills and understanding about relationships, power, gender, sexual diversity, sexual decision making and sexual health. A national survey of Australian secondary teachers identified TSH as the sequential program most often used in secondary schools (Smith et al 2011). Ten years on, it's time to update.
- Gender and health
- Sexuality and Relationships
Books/curricula
Catching On Early - Sexuality for Victorian Primary Schools: A Victorian primary school curriculum, written for the Department of Education and Early Children Development. (Released April 2011). I'm currently training teachers in regional Victoria and learning from them about what they love to teach and how they'd do sexuality education differently.
Talk Soon - Talk Often: For Parents to Talk to their Children about Sex (2011), for the Western Australian (WA) Department of Health. At last count, 40,000 copies have been distibuted, and counting.
Book sections
Mitchell, A., & Walsh, J. (2012). 'Sexuality Education and Young People'. In S. Gupta & B. Kumar (Eds.), Sexually Transmitted Infections. (2nd ed., pp. 1221-1224). New Delhi, India: Elsevier.
Reports
Mitchell, A., Smith, A. M. A., Carman, M., Schlichthorst, M., Walsh, J., & Pitts, M. K. (2011). Sexuality Education in Australia in 2011. Monograph Series Number 81. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. ARCSHS Monograph.
Smith, A. M. A., Schlichthorst, M., Mitchell, A., Walsh, J., Blackman, P., & Pitts, M. K. (2011). Sexuality Education in Australian Secondary Schools 2010: Results of the 1st National Survey of Australian Secondary Teachers of Sexuality Education. Monograph Series Number 80. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. ARCSHS Monograph.
www.thehormonefactory.com This website is designed to assist parents and teachers in talking to 10-12 year old children about sexual and reproductive development and answering their questions, for the Bertarelli Foundation. Winner of the 2003 Australian Teachers of Multimedia Award for Best Primary Education Resource.
Chlamydia: The secret is out (DVD). DVD and teaching materials for secondary schools. The resource has been distributed free of charge to all schools in Australia and can be purchased from www.7Dimensions.com.au Finalist Certificate (Film/Video) - Global Awards for World’s Best Work in Healthcare Communications. Commissioned by Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Book sections
Mitchell, A., & Walsh, J. (2003). The community liaison model of research transfer. In V. Lin & B. Gibson (Eds.), Evidence-based health policy : problems & possibilities. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Articles in non-refereed journals
Jones, J., Mitchell, A., & Walsh, J. (1999). Talking sexual health: a parents' guide. Australian National Council on AIDS and Related Diseases.
Reports
Ollis, D., Mitchell, A., Watson, J., Hillier, L., & Walsh, J. (2001). Safety in our schools: Strategies for responding to homophobia. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society.
Mitchell, A., Walsh, J., & Rosenthal, D. A. (1996). Report of the national forum on the sexual reproductive health issues for young people in rural, regional and remote areas. Prepared for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services.
Mitchell, A., Rosenthal, D. A., & Walsh, J. (1996).Report of the second national sexual health education forum of non-english speaking backgrounds. Prepared for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services. International conferences
Mitchell, A., Walsh, J., & Rosenthal, D. A. (2002). Duty of care: Getting the needs of same sex attracted young people on the policy agenda. The Society for Research on Adolescence, 9th Biennial meeting. New Orleans, April. Mitchell, A., Walsh, J., & Willis, J. M. (2000). Thinking about sexual health promotion. Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health OrganisationSexual Health Forum. Marysville, November.
Mitchell, A., & Walsh, J. (1997). "Don't call us, we'll call you": Disseminating research to where it matters. 3rd International AIDS Impact Conference on Biopsychosocial Aspects of HIV Infection. Melbourne, June.
Walsh, J., & Mitchell, A. (1996). Building bridges: Making the relationship between academic research and practice work. 28th Annual Conference of the International Community Development Society. Melbourne, July.
National conferences
Walsh, J., & Mitchell, A. (1997). 'There's no secrets in a small town, no': Sexual and reproductive health issues for rural youth. The National Rural Public Health Forum. Adelaide, October.
Mitchell, A., & Walsh, J. (1996). Shall ever the twain meet? Making the relationship between research and practice work. National Centre in HIV Social Research: HIV, AIDS and Society Conference. Melbourne, June.