SEXUAL HEALTH
Is there a subject more in need of the relief of humour than sexual health?
Nelly's ground-breaking comedy shows The Condom Dialogues and The No Means No Show have toured all over the country and her acclaimed sexual health and ethics DVD The Talk is in its second run. More recently she's also developed a show for parents and carers cased on the DVD in which she goes into school communities and talks to parents about how to have frank and open discussions about these issues with young people.
Lots of us dread these conversations about sex, but Nelly promises she can help!
How did Nelly get into this work? About 10 years ago Meg Gulbin (then the Health Promotion Officer at the Royal Women's Hospital) asked Nelly to help them with their sex education for teenage girls. Meg said their approach was boring the young women they were trying to engage and she wondered if Nelly could make it more fun. Nelly said, "If I can't make sex funny, I'm not a comedian."
Since then, Nelly has combined her considerable comedic skills, stage time and communication abilities with robust research and partnership with health experts to develop a suite of funny health promotion shows as well as a health promotion DVD. These shows have been hugely successful and Nelly is a highly sought-after speaker in the health promotion and community sectors.
When done right - and with great sensitivity and knowledge - humour is an effective, guilt-free and entertaining way to talk about important topics. it avoids preaching and has the added bonus of being entertaining and engaging for the audience.
The Talk: for teens
Nelly goes into school communities and talks to young people about sex, relationships and consent. Using appropriate humour, she creates a light and comfortable atmosphere and engages with subjects that are sometimes neglected in sex-ed and parental talks: consent, ethics, culture and emotions. The session is followed by a Q&A with local health professionals.
THE TALK: FOR PARENTS
Nelly goes into school communities and talks to parents about how to have The Talk with their kids. The presentation is based on Nelly’s ground-breaking sexual health and ethics DVD The Talk and is fun, informative and light-hearted. This session is available for individual bookings by schools or health services and is a great way to get the parents involved in their kids’ health.
SHOWS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The No Means No Show: a show for adolescents about healthy and respectful relationships.
The Condom Dialogues: a show for adolescents about safe sex.
Growing Up a Girl: a show for young women about issues facing young women and girls.
INDIGENOUS SHOWS
Nelly has worked with a number of Indigenous health organisations to deliver sexual health and ethics workshops and performances. Two are listed below:
"On behalf of Marie Stopes Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program (SNAKE Condoms), we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for participating in the recent SNAKE Forum... It was a truly inspiring event, and since its finish we have already received many reports back from community about how greatly empowered and stronger the women have returned... we very much look forward to working with you again in the future."
Bev Greet, Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Marie Stopes International Australia www.mariestopes.org.au
"We were thrilled to have Nelly perform at our ASHE Opening Day. She just has this relaxed way of connecting with young people that makes them comfortable to engage around what is a pretty delicate but really important issue. Hopefully this is not the last we see of Nelly. Her No Means No sidekick, Isaac Drandich, was fantastic too."
Phillip Guthrie, Manager - Academy of Sport, Health and Education