Filling the Sexual Health Education Gap in Bozeman, Montana
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I love being able to connect these two places, both of which I care deeply about. Teaching in BYEP was a lot easier for me compared to other spaces, as I already was comfortable and knew it was a safe place. I was nervous at first teaching in a place where some people may know me outside of being a peer educator, but it has actually been a good thing.One teen described his experience as both a BYEP participant and Bridgercare/BYEP peer educator
What do you do when you notice the youth in your community aren’t getting the age-appropriate, high-quality sex education they deserve?
If you’re Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP), a Bozeman, Montana-based nonprofit that supports teens through connection and community, it’s an easy decision: You partner with Bridgercare, a local provider of Title X sexual and reproductive health services since 1972 and sexual health education since the late 90’s.
The core of BYEP’s curriculum is experience-driven weekly workshops and weekend outdoor adventures that cultivate social and emotional wellness skills. A teen who takes full advantage of BYEP services could spend up to 19 hours per week at BYEP for up to six years. In 2024, BYEP served 186 youth and delivered 42,000 hours of direct service.
Since BYEP began partnering with Bridgercare over a decade ago, BYEP has offered participants ages 12 to 19 even more: Bridgercare-led lessons on puberty, consent, sexually transmitted infections, birth control, gender, and sexuality. Bridgercare became a Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program grantee in 2023, and most recently implemented IN-clued, an evidence-based program that combines LGBTQ youth-friendly health services with relevant and inclusive sex education.
The BYEP-Bridgercare partnership has thrived thanks to some shared DNA:
- A commitment to empowering youth
- A belief that every young person has the right to medically accurate sexual health education that helps them make safe, informed choices
- An openness to taking innovative approaches to achieve meaningful youth engagement
One way Bridgercare has sought to meaningfully engage youth is by training them as peer educators who can educate, advocate, empower, and refer their peers to community resources. Bridgercare has found that peer educators tend to increase participants’ comfort level in learning about sexual health and healthy relationships.
The BYEP-Bridgercare collaboration has undeniably been a good thing, too. Through this vibrant partnership, these organizations have created a more holistic and effective support system for Bozeman teens.
Thinking about what meaningful youth engagement looks like for your organization? Check out our Ask Me Anything video series on youth engagement. Plus, if you’re exploring peer education, review these Tips for Supervising Peer Leaders and Near Peers.