Wave is all about getting young people thinking and talking about their sexual health and relationships.

We’re here to provide information that answers your questions, and gives you the confidence to make choices that are right for you.

Starting college or university for the first time can be an exciting but overwhelming time! Being a fresher is all about new experiences – whether that’s moving away from home for the first time or exploring new relationships. 

These exciting new experiences can also bring a lot of concerns and questions. We are here to help you enjoy freshers without any worries. So, we’ve put together some information about some of the common issues new students ask us about.

About Sex

Sex can mean different things to different people. There’s no single ‘right’ way to have sex – everyone has their own likes and dislikes.

It’s important to feel comfortable talking about sex with your partner so that you can tell each other what you both like and don’t like.

To find out about things like different kinds of sex, exploring what pleasure means to you and thinking about whether you’re ready, check out our About Sex section here.

Staying Safe

We know there are lots of practical things to think about when having sex – like protecting yourself from STIs and pregnancy. But there are also things you need to know to protect yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.

On our website, we cover a range of topics to help you stay safe, from talking about consent and online safety, to knowing the law and reporting abuse.

You can find out more from our Staying Safe page.

Contraception

Contraception can stop someone from getting pregnant and, in some cases, can protect you from STIs.

There are plenty of options, so you may have to try a few methods before finding the one that is right for you, but that is ok. Everyone’s different, so what works well for your friends may not be right for you and vice versa.

To find out more about different contraception methods, and where to access them, check out our Contraception page, or download Wee Johnny’s Guide to Contraception

Free Condoms

Condoms and femidoms are the only contraception method to help protect you against STIs as well as pregnancy.

We always recommend using a condom even if you are using another method of contraception.

You can find out how to access free condoms and femidoms here.

For tips on how to use a condom correctly, check out our contraception page, or download, Wee Johnny’s Guide to Condoms,

STI Testing

For sexually active young people, accessing regular testing is a great way to stay in control of your sexual health.

We know that the idea of visiting a sexual health clinic may be a step into the unknown for lots of people. It might be something that you find daunting or embarrassed about, but the good news is it really isn’t as scary as you think!

You can find out lots of info about what to expect when visiting a sexual health clinic, here.

You can also use our service finder to find your nearest sexual health clinic.


Get support from Wave 

Wave delivers education programmes to young people across the Highlands as well as providing Highland-specific information online that will answer all of your sexual health questions. 

If you have questions or concerns about your sexual health, we can help you sort the facts from fiction, and point you in the direction of services that can help.

Have a look around the site to explore the topics above, and loads more. If you want to get in touch you can drop us a message here, or email hello@wavehighland.com.


Useful links 

There are lots of great organisations that can provide you with advice and support with a whole range of things around young people’s health and wellbeing. Check out our Useful Links page for local and national services that may be able to help.