Sexuality Education Counselling and Consultancy Agency (secca) was established in 1991 by a small group of professionals working in diverse service delivery areas with people with a disability. This group worked towards bridging the gaps in human relationships and sexuality services for people with a disability.
The same year this group secured funding from the Lotteries Commission of WA for a two year collaborative project with the Family Planning Association of Western Australia (FPWA). Based in a small office on Townsend Road in Subiaco, this project would provide education, counselling and consultancy services for people with an intellectual disability, their families and carers.
In 1994 the operation of the joint secca/FPWA project was transferred from Subiaco to FPWA’s Northbridge Offices. This project was named the ‘People First Program’ and is still in operation.
The DSC then provided further funding to secca to continue training agencies and individuals to work with people with a disability in the area of human relationships and sexuality. secca was also funded to provide direct education and counselling services to people with a disability, service providers, families and carers.
In 1997 DSC advised secca that its core funding would cease but due to overwhelming support from consumers of secca services the DSC was forced to commission a review of all human relationship and sexuality education services in WA. As a result of this review, DSC agreed to continue and subsequently increase funding to secca on a recurrent basis.
In 1999 secca moved to its current location at City West Lotteries House.
Click here to view secca’s 20th Anniversary speech by Co-Manager Suzanne Paust