What if learning about sexual health felt more like scrolling through a friend’s social media than reading a tip sheet? Not a reel made by a clinic or campaign team, but by a young person speaking directly to their followers.

That’s the approach we took when collaborating with young creators in Baltimore City.

Step by step, this guide walks you through the process from recruiting young creators to creating briefs and influencer tips. You’ll learn how to build a supportive community while letting young people take the lead, share their voices, and make content that feels real.

Over the past three years, in partnership with Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) on the Youth Sexual & Reproductive Justice Initiative (Y-SURGE), Healthy Teen Network worked with young creators to make sexual health content that felt real and relatable. Through influencer briefs, shared tips, and learning what worked and what did not, we found our “special sauce:” a good mixture of guidance and flexibility.

The research project sought to boost clinic use for young people who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or those disconnected from school or work, while reducing the stigma around talking about sexual and reproductive health.