Wolfson Fellow

Dr Simon Forrest

Personal web page

(email at simon.forrest@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Simon joined the School of Medicine and Health in 2009. Early in his career he taught in secondary and further education before getting involved in health promotion with young people in the mid 1980s. His developing interest in the social aspects of adolescent health was reflected in his Masters degree which involved empirical research into the dance and drug cultures of the period, HIV/Aids prevention for young people and gender, sexuality and health. Subsequently he moved into academic research working on a number of studies and evaluations focusing on various aspects of young people’s sexual attitudes and lifestyles before becoming a Research Fellow in the Department of Sexually Transmitted Diseases at University College London and working on the RIPPLE study – a RCT assessing the impact of peer-led sex education targeting young people.

During his time at UCL Simon was involved in supporting medical students who initiated their own programme of peer-led community-based sexual health promotion and was involved in establishing a similar programme at St George’s Medical School.

Simon’s PhD is in sociology and doctoral research explored teenagers’ experiences of being in love. Throughout his career Simon has contributed to under- and post-graduate teaching as well as training programmes for professionals in health, welfare and education. He has also contributed to a variety of national and international expert groups, advisory committees and conferences.

In his spare time Simon enjoys supporting his local youth club, gardening, curling and walking the dog.

View Simon's slideshare.

Indicators of Esteem

• 2012 Higher Education Academy International Scholar:
• Chair of BeSST (Behavioural and Social Scientists Teaching in medicine) :
• Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award, Durham University:
• Honorary Senior Lecturer in Adolescent Sexual Health: St George’s Hosipital Medical School and Kingston University
• In April 2011 Simon was awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award by Durham University:
• Member of College of Experts, NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme:
• Trustee and secretary of AVERT (The AIDS Education and Research Trust):
• Visiting Fellow: Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 1997-2006

Research Groups

Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, School of

• Centre for Medical Education Research
• Centre for Medical Humanities

Research Interests

• The sexual attitudes and behaviour of young people
• Sexual health promotion and education
• Sexuality and gender, especially young masculinities
• The social and cultural context of emotional experience

Teaching Groups

• Medicine Phase 1

Publications

Books: authored

• Forrest, S. , Blake, S & Ray, C. (2003). Sex and Relationships Education A guide for independent schools and those working with them. London: National Children's Bureau.
• Lloyd, T., Forrest, S. & Davidson, N. (2001). Boys and young men’s health Literature and practice review: An interim report. London: Health Development Agency.
• Forrest, S., Biddle, G. & Clift, S. (1997). Talking about homosexuality in the secondary school. Horsham: AVERT.

Books: edited

• Cronberg, A., Haour-Knipe, M., Dafesh, Z., Forrest, S. & Broring, G. (2007). Community needs community responses: trend reports on migration and HIV/AIDS in Europe. Woerden, Netherlands: Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NIGZ).
• Forrest, S. & Reid, D. (2001). HIV/AIDS Prevention for Young People Models of Good Practice from the European Member States. Utrecht: Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention.
• Forrest, S. & Vermeer, V. (1999). HIV Prevention for young people European Information Centre 'AIDS and Youth'. Utrecht: Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention.

Books: sections

• Forrest, Simon. & Welling, K. (2012). A public health approach to sex education. In Sexual health: A Public Health Approach. Mitchell, K., Wellings, K. & Collumbien, M. Open University Press/McGraw Hill.
• Forrest, Simon. (2011). Straight Talking: Challenges in teaching and learning about sexuality and homophobia in schools. In Education, Equality and Human Rights. Cole, M. Routledge. 128-158.
• Forrest, S. & Ellis, V. (2011). The making of sexualities: Sexuality, identity and equality. In Education, Equality and Human Rights. Cole, M. Routledge. 101-127.
• Forrest, S.P. & Kanabus, A. (2009). Sex Education That Works. In Issues: Sexual Health. Firth, L. Cambridge: Independence. 173: 31-34.
• Forrest, S. & Nash, T. (2007). Difference and diversity as determinants of health. In Public Health and the School Age Population. DeBell, D. London: Hodder Arnold. 37-56.
• Forrest, S. (2007). Work-life balance in the UK The experiences of fathers in a New Town in the UK. In Men and work life balance in Europe. Gaborit, P. Brussels: European New Town Project Publications.
• Forrest, S. (2006). Straight talking: challenges in teaching and learning about sexuality and homophobia in schools. In Education, Equality and Human Rights: issues of gender, ‘race’, sexuality and social class. Cole, M. London: Routledge. 111-133.
• Forrest, S. & Ellis, V. (2006). The making of sexualities sexuality, identity and equality. In Education, Equality and Human Rights: issues of gender, ‘race’, sexuality and social class. Cole, M. London: Routledge. 89-110.
• Forrest, S. (2004). ‘They treated us like one of them really’ peer education as an approach to sexual health promotion with young people. In Young people and sexual health: Individual, social and policy contexts. Burtney, E. & Duffy, M. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 202-216.
• Abramowitch, G., de Bruckere, S. & Forrest, S. (2003). Cultural diversity. In Similar to others, yet different in many ways: HIV/Aids Prevention: a cultural diversity approach. Vermeer, V. & Walter, J Woerden: Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
• Forrest, S. (2003). The implications for research. In Young Gay Men Talking: Key issues and ideas for action. Blake, S. London: Working With Men. 62-67.
• Strange, V., Forrest, S. & Oakley, A. (2001). A listening trial 'qualitative' methods within experimental research. In Using Research for Effective Health Promotion. Oliver, Sandy & Peersman, Greet Buckingham: Open University Press. 138-153.
• Clift, S. & Forrest, S. (2000). Gay tourism, sex and sexual health promotion. In Masculinities Leisure cultures, identities and consumption. Horne, J. & Flemming, S. Eastbourne: Leisure Studies Association. 69.
• Forrest, S. (2000). It's for girls really boys' participation in school-based sex education. In Changing families, changing communities researching health and wellbeing among children and young people. Ryan, Helen & Bull, Julie London: Health Development Agency. 110-123.
• Clift, S. & Forrest, S. (2000). Tourism and the sexual ecology of gay men. In Tourism and sex Culture, Commerce and Coercion. Clift, S. & Carter, S. Leicester: Pinter. 179-199.
• Forrest, S. & Clift, S. (1998). Gay tourist space and sexual risk behaviour. In Gender, Space and Identity Leisure, Culture and Commerce. Aitchison, C. & Jordan, F. Eastbourne: Leisure Studies Association. 63: 163-176.
• Prendergast, S. & Forrest, S. (1998). Shorties, low-lifers, hard-nuts and kings boys, emotions and embodiment in school. In Emotions in social life critical themes and contemporary issues. Bendelow, G. & Williams, S. London: Routledge. 155-172.
• Prendergast, S. & Forrest, S. (1997). Hieroglyphs of the heterosexual learning about gender in school. In New Sexual Agendas. Segal, L. London: Macmillan. 180-195.
• Biddle, G. & Forrest, S. (1997). Sex Education for Boys in Secondary Schools. In Let's hear it for the boys supporting sex and relationships education for boys and young men. Lenderyou, G. & Ray, C. London: Sex Education Forum.

Conference papers

• Forrest,S. & Russell, A. (2011), Linking community placement to Tomorrows Doctors’ outcomes for public health,, Public Health Education in Medical Schools. Guys Medical School, 10th June 2011..
• Forrest, S. (2010), Heterosexual young men in love: the role of paternal influences on expectations and experiences of intimate relationships with young women, Questioning Maculinities. Open University, 11th May 2010..
• Forrest, S. (2010), Young men in love: Little cultural worlds and emotions, Emotions Seminar Series. Edinburgh University: Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, 24th February
• Russell, AJ & Forrest, SP (2009), Learning to doctor: the community placement as a site for developing medical students’ understanding of the socio-cultural dimensions of health and healthcare, C-SAP Annual Conference Roles, Rights and Responsibilities: Negotiating Relationships. Jury’s Inn Hotel, Birmingham, England..
• Forrest, S. (2009), The production of young sexualities: the role played by images and imagery of the body in health and sexual educational texts, Taking the Body Seriously’ Association for Medical Humanities. Univeristy of Durham, 6th- 8th July, 2009.

Journal papers: academic

• Forrest, Simon. (2010). Young men in love: the (re)making of heterosexual masculinities through ‘‘serious’’ relationships. Sexual and relationship therapy 25(2): 206-218.
• Strange, V., Forrest, S., Oakley, A., Stephenson, J. & & the RIPPLE Study Team. (2006). Sex and relationship education for 13–16 year olds: evidence from England. Sex Education 6(1): 31-46.
• Twine. C. Robbé, I. J. Forrest, S. & Davies, S. (2005). A needs assessment in South Wales schools for a novel medical student-led sex education programme. Sex Education 5(2): 137-152.
• Oakley, A., Strange, V., Stephenson, J. Forrest, S., Monteiro, H. & & the RIPPLE Study Team. (2004). Evaluating Processes A case study of a randomized controlled trial of sex education. Evaluation 10(4): 440-462.
• Stephenson, J., Strange, V., Forrest, S., Oakley, A., Copas, A., Allen, E., Babiker, A., Black, S., Ali, M., Monteiro, H., Johnson, A. & & the RIPPLE study team. (2004). Pupil-led sex education in England (RIPPLE study) cluster-randomised intervention trial. The Lancet 364 (9431): 338-346.
• Forrest, S. , Strange, V. Oakley, A. & & The RIPPLE study team. (2004). What young people want from sex education? The results of a needs assessment from a peer-led sex education programme. Culture, Health & Sexuality 6(4): 337-354.
• Stephenson, J.M., Oakley, A., Johnson, A.M., Forrest, S., Strange, V. Charleston, S. Black, S. Copas, A. Petruckevitch, A. & Babiker, A. (2003). A school-based randomized controlled trial of peer-led sex education in England. Controlled Clinical Trials 24(5): 643-657.
• Bonell, C.P.,, Strange, V.J.,, Stephenson, J.M.,, Oakley, A.R.,, Copas, A.,, Forrest, S.P.,, Johnson, A.M., & Black, S. (2003). Effect of social exclusion on the risk of teenage pregnancy development of hypotheses using baseline data from a randomised trial of sex education. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 57(11): 871-876.
• Strange, V., Oakley, A. Forrest, S. & & the Ripple Study Team. (2003). Mixed-sex or single-sex sex education how would young people like their sex education and why?. Gender & Education 15(2): 201-214.
• Strange, V., Forrest, S. , Oakley, A. & & The RIPPLE Study Team. (2003). Using research questionnaires with young people in schools: the influence of the social context. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 6(4): 337-346.
• Forrest, S., , Strange, V.,, Oakley, A., & & the RIPPLE team. (2002). A Comparison of Students' Evaluations of a Peer-delivered Sex Education Programme and Teacher-led Provision. Sex Education 2(3): 195-214.
• Strange, V., Forrest, S., , Oakley, A., & & the RIPPLE team. (2002). Peer-led Sex Education characteristics of peer educators and their perceptions of the impact on them of participation in a peer education programme. Health Education Research 17(3): 327-337.
• Strange, V., Forrest, S., , Oakley, A., & & the RIPPLE team. (2002). What influences peer-led sex education in the classroom? A view from the peer educators. Health Education Research 17(3): 339-349.
• Forrest, S. (2000). ‘Big and Tough’ Boys learning about sexuality and manhood. Sexual Relationships Therapy 15(3): 247-261.
• Clift, S. & Forrest, S. (1999). Factors Associated with Gay Men’s Sexual Behaviour and Risk on Holiday. AIDS Care 11(3): 281-295.
• Clift, S. & Forrest, S. (1999). Gay Men and Tourism Destinations and Holiday Motivations. Tourism Management 20(5): 615-625.

Journal papers: professional

• Forrest, S. (1997). Confessions of a Middle-Shelf Magazine Shopper. Journal of Contemporary Health 5: 10-13.
• Forrest, S. (1996). Girls, boys, drugs and trouble does gender matter?. Images YMCA Journal of Reflective Practice 2(1): 20-23.

Other publications: research

• Wight, D. & Forrest, S. (2010). CRFR Briefing Paper 50: The Quality of Young People’s Heterosexual Relationships. University of Edinburgh: Centre for Research on Families and Relationships.

Reports: technical

• Howse, L. Shand, T. Braeken, D. & Forrest S (2010). Men are changing: Case study evidence on work with men and boys to promote gender equality and positive masculinities. London, UK, International Planned Parenthood Foundation.

Related Links

• Learning to Doctor: exploring the role of non-clinical community-based placements in medical educartion