The first version of the brochure, Sexuality, STDs and AIDS: Let's Talk, was produced by a school board committee made up of social workers, nurses and psychologists for the parents of their students. Given the positive response of numerous parents, the publication was distributed more widely.

In collaboration between the Provincial Federation of Parents' Associations and the Ministries of Education and Health and Social Services, 100,000 copies of the publication were distributed every two years throughout Quebec. Initially, the Federation recommended distribution to parents of pupils aged 1213 years in secondary school. Later, however, the Federation recommended distribution to parents of sixthgrade pupils before they entered secondary school; the Ministry of Education ensures that all primary schools receive the brochures. In most of the educational institutions the Parents' Association gives the brochures to the pupils so that they can give them to their parents; a few provide the brochures via parents' meetings or together with bulletins.

In 1996 the brochure was updated, taking into account the advice of numerous members of primary school Parents' Associations. They felt that more emphasis should be given to sex education in the broad sense instead of a primary focus on HIV/STD prevention. An evaluation in process in November 1996 showed a high degree of satisfaction on the part of the Parents' Associations; as a few respondents to a preliminary evaluation commented:

• I like the approach, i.e., the parent is responsible for the child's sex education
• I find that the brochure can facilitate dialogue between parents and adolescents
• I and my 12-year-old daughter read it - it's very good. We talk!

The Associations have called for continuation of the brochure's distribution on a more frequent (annual) basis.

To promote effective dialogue between foster parents and youth in difficulty, the Quebec Youth Centre (a support centre for such youth) developed a fivesession training programme. The aim is to equip foster parents to assume a role as significant guidance counsellors regarding sexuality and drug use in the context of HIV/STD prevention. The programme helps the foster parents reflect and develop attitudes favouring communication about the young people's love and sex lives; they also are able to experiment with strategies that can reinforce their preventive interventions. Topics covered in the course include:

• characteristics of adolescent sexuality and love relationships
• factors increasing the vulnerability of youth in difficulty to HIV/STDs
• basic knowledge about STDs and AIDS
• sexual practices and different sexual orientations
• drug abuse
• how to establish a supportive dialogue.

In the third project, the Ministries of Education and Health and Social Services collaborate in publishing an informative newsletter for secondary school teachers. The newsletter presents various teaching activities that can be carried out in class using a variety of resources appropriate to the particular themes chosen. The newsletters appear twice or thrice yearly.

One issue focused on sexual orientations, providing examples of case studies used in the school setting as well as a list of possible resources. Another issue examined peer education projects and how to incorporate testimonies of persons living with HIV/AIDS in classroom work. In 1997, collaboration with the Faculty of Sexology at the University of Quebec in Montreal will permit publication of three issues written by university students. They will present the teachers with different pedagogical activities that can be used in the classroom to address topics related to youth sexuality.