Planning a Sexual Health Campaign for Universities and Students

Set clear goals for your sexual health campaign

Start with what you want the campaign to achieve. Goals might include raising awareness of local sexual health services, encouraging regular testing, increasing condom use or making free condoms easier to find. Two or three clear aims are easier to deliver and measure than a long list.

Understand who your students are

Student populations are not one audience. First-year undergraduates, postgraduates, international students, students living at home and LGBTQ+ students may all have different questions and different places they look for advice. Ask your students’ union, welfare team and student representatives what is missing, then use clear, inclusive and non-judgemental language.

Tackling misunderstandings directly can also help. Our guide to common sexual health myths is a useful starting point for campaign messaging.

Time your campaign around the student year

Freshers’ week is the obvious starting point because students are new to campus and looking for information, but a single week is rarely enough. Plan follow-up activity across the year, for example at the start of each term and around awareness days such as World Contraception Day on 26 September and World AIDS Day on 1 December.

Keep stock available between campaigns so students can find condoms when they need them, not only during an event.

Make condoms for universities easy to access

Access is the part of a campaign that students notice most. Think about discreet, convenient locations such as the students’ union, welfare office, health centre, halls of residence and campus events, and make sure each location is easy to find.

NICE guidance on condom distribution schemes recommends offering a range of condom types and sizes, with lubricant and other barrier products where wanted, alongside information about local services and testing. Our guide to planning a condom distribution scheme explains the recommendations in more detail. LTC Healthcare supplies condoms for universities and other education providers running student wellbeing services, safer sex campaigns and campus condom distribution schemes, including public health condoms and related sexual health supplies.

Work with local sexual health partners

Universities rarely run campaigns alone. Local authority public health teams, NHS sexual health services, charities and the students’ union can all help with expertise, testing information and referral routes. Some areas also run C-Card schemes for young people, which can link in with a campus campaign.

Use trusted resources and clear messaging

Registered public health partners can access the LTC Healthcare Asset Hub for product information, high-resolution imagery, educational content, training resources and branding materials. Ready-made resources save time and help keep messaging consistent across posters, social media and events.

Eligible organisations can order through the EXS Condom Scheme, which was created for healthcare professionals, local authorities, charities and education providers, or contact LTC Healthcare directly for guidance on the best route for your institution.

Measure results and improve next year

Track simple measures such as how many condoms are collected, which locations are busiest, how many students use linked services and what feedback you receive. Review the results with your partners and use them to adjust locations, stock levels and messaging before the next campaign.

Sexual health campaign checklist for universities