Twenty years! It’s hard to believe, but two decades ago, an ambitious idea turned into a classroom reality. This August marks the 20th anniversary of the Sexual Health Educator Certification (SHEC) program.

What started as a localized passion project in British Columbia has blossomed into a community with a truly global reach, training sexual health champions who are changing lives, one shame-free conversation at a time.

Here is the story of how we got here—and why we’re just getting started.

How We Got Here

2006

In August 2006, SHEC was born out of a stark necessity: the urgent need to increase access to comprehensive sex education across BC. 

It was spearheaded by one of SHEC’s incredible leaders and co-creators, the outstanding Joy Becker.  

When Joy and a few other brilliant minds hatched this plan, they left no stone unturned. Joy looked into what was needed to not only educate but also to provide the development necessary to create truly amazing sexual health educators. This determination on Joy’s part resulted in the creation of an incredible program. Her legacy of greatness in sexual health education is carried on with every SHEC graduate. 

The very first cohort, instructed by Joy, was a month-long, intensive pilot course. That month was intense, exhilarating, and proof of concept—the hunger for this knowledge was real. 

But we quickly realized that a month-long intensive wasn’t accessible for everyone who wanted to learn. So, we adapted. We shifted the structure to five weekend classroom modules spread out monthly, as we thought this tweak would make it easier for folks throughout BC to attend. 

We had no idea how far those weekends would actually reach. 

2010–2020

Turns out, we hadn’t just built something for BC. We had built something Canada desperately needed.

For an entire decade, our weekend, in-person module format sparked an unexpected phenomenon. Students weren’t just driving in from the Lower Mainland or the Island—they were flying across the country. Once a month, dedicated individuals boarded planes from all over BC, Alberta, Ontario, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and even California, just to sit in our classroom together.

Why? Because to this day, there is no other course in Canada quite like SHEC.

The SHEC Difference: Plenty of programs teach the anatomy or the theory of sexual health and sexuality. SHEC is unique because we focus heavily on the “how-to.” We give educators the practical, real-world skills to actually stand in front of a room and teach complex, sensitive topics with confidence.

2020 & Beyond

When COVID hit in 2020, the world paused, but the need for sex education didn’t. We faced a choice: pause the program or pivot.

We brought SHEC online, and what started as a pandemic survival tactic became our “new normal”—and opened a door we never could have anticipated.

By removing geographical barriers entirely, we discovered that the craving for practical, comprehensive sex ed training wasn’t just a Canadian deficit; it was a global one. Today, SHEC proudly welcomes students from all over the globe. We’ve had the absolute pleasure of students attending from such places as: Turkey, Brazil, Denmark, India, Mexico, New Zealand (to name a few).

At the same time, our Canadian graduates are taking their SHEC toolkit out into the wider world. We have incredible alumni who have relocated or traveled internationally to deliver sexual health education for communities across Malaysia, South Africa, and the UK.

To Our Grads

In 20 years, we have successfully delivered 28 cohorts of SHEC. That represents hundreds of graduates out in the wild doing the heavy lifting.

Our grads are true warriors. In a world that can still be deeply resistant to sex education, they often have to fight the odds to do this work. They are breaking down walls, challenging stigma, and making themselves heard because they hold a fundamental truth close to their hearts: people have a right to know about their bodies.

Because of their dedication, thousands of people across Canada and now many pockets of the world are learning about sexual health, sexuality and our human right to know about our bodies and choices in a way that is:

• Shame-free
• Judgement-free
• Inclusive
• Body-positive

We are continuously in awe of your passion, your grit, and your impact. You are the beating heart of SHEC.

Honoring Our Instructors

We are beyond lucky to have a dream team leading the exceptional level of teaching that SHEC is known for! 

A massive tribute goes to Kristen Gilbert, our main course instructor since 2010. Kristen has been the guiding academic force and heart of the classroom for over 15 years—our students adore and admire her beyond measure.  

“Thank you, Kristen, for being such an excellent, motivating teacher and role model!” – SHEC Grad 

We are equally grateful for Hayley Rennie, our Indigenous Sexual Health Educator and co-facilitator, whose wisdom and perspective make our learning space so rich and dynamic. 

Together, Kristen and Hayley are an absolute powerhouse team carrying forward the legacy of greatness in sexual health education! 

The Next Chapter

Twenty years is an incredible milestone, but as we look at the SHEC community we’ve built, we know one thing for certain: this is only the beginning.

The world needs inclusive, sexual health educators now more than ever. Thanks to our amazing students, we are creating an unstoppable wave of sexual health champions.

The only question left is… do you want to join the movement?

Here’s to the next 20 years of breaking barriers and changing lives. 

Happy Anniversary, SHEC!