About Us

About PODSIE

What is PODSIE?

PODSIE (Positive Outlook Developing: Sexual Identity and Education) is a transnational initiative developed between 2023 and 2026 with the support of the Erasmus+ programme. Its mission is to offer an alternative to traditional approaches to sex education, promoting a model based on respect, curiosity, autonomy and diversity.

The project responds to a widely shared reality in Europe: the lack of structured, up-to-date and truly inclusive sex education in formal and non-formal educational settings. Young people, especially those with dissident identities, continue to face barriers to expressing their doubts, accessing reliable information or feeling recognised in mainstream discourses.

PODSIE is a collective and participatory process to rethink how we talk about sexuality, gender, desire and affections. Through research, the creation of educational tools, professional training and community work, the project seeks to create safe, accessible and transformative spaces for all young people in Europe.

Our Mission

Key themes

Developing respectful sexual education for modern youth.

Education and sexual identity

We support young people in understanding and exploring their identity, dismantling stigmas and offering diverse role models.

Innovation in youth work

We are committed to non-formal, digital and creative methodologies that adapt to the language, interests and real environments of today's youth.

Gender equality and LGBTQI+ inclusion

We promote the recognition of all gender orientations, identities and expressions, defending equality and the right to be.

Youth empowerment and well-being

We foster personal development processes that reinforce self-esteem, mutual care, informed decision-making and emotional and sexual autonomy.

Objectives

Project objectives

To achieve these aims, the consortium is working on four strategic objectives

Promote the continuous training of youth workers, educators and youth professionals so that they can address sexual and gender diversity with appropriate, safe and up-to-date tools.

Create inclusive, participatory and accessible teaching materials that can be used in educational, community and digital contexts.

Raise awareness among young people, families and institutional actors about the need for holistic, cross-cutting and rights-based sex education.

Encourage critical thinking, curiosity and active participation among young people as protagonists of educational and social change.

These objectives are in line with European priorities on inclusion, educational innovation, youth empowerment and education for democratic citizenship.

PODSIE’s work is based on a bottom-up approach, which means that actions are built around the real needs expressed by young people and those who work with them, thus ensuring the relevance, applicability and sustainability of the results.

Packages

Work packages

The project is organised around five work packages (WP), each of which addresses a strategic area of the process

WP - 1

Project management

Technical supervision, coordination between partners, quality control and ongoing evaluation.

WP - 2

Research

Analysis of the European context in terms of sex education, mapping of the needs of young people and professionals, and compilation of inspiring good practices.

WP - 3

Development of educational strategies

Co-design of transformative pedagogical approaches, with participatory methodologies and an intersectional approach.

WP - 4

Resource production

Creation of interactive educational materials, such as digital games, guides, workshop tools, and training proposals adapted to different profiles.

WP - 5

Dissemination and institutional dialogue

Implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, coordination of local and international networks, and promotion of dialogue between young people, civil society and decision-makers.