RSE 101: What are our most requested topics?
Since we’ve been able to visit schools again, we’ve been delivering workshops across the country and LOVING it. We missed the energy in the room and the relationships you can build quickly when chatting in small groups about RSE topics.
We feel that facilitating in person is especially important in RSE for the following reasons:
Young people feel more comfortable asking their burning questions. They can do this discreetly after sessions or catch the facilitator 1:1 when activities are set.
There is less reliance on their teacher to translate into the chat box, which can be off-putting.
We’re able to mediate the nuances of ‘stickier’ topic discussions and by doing so further unpack problematic narratives.
It’s easier to set and maintain a respectful space for everyone when you can catch all the comments and reactions in the room.
There are a few workshops that we deliver time and time again - almost our SB ‘special menu’ - consent, sex and intimacy and sexual health.
We thought it would be useful to share our key points from each of these sessions. So whether you’re a parent, educator, youth professional or creative practitioner that works with young people - you know where to begin with a few key RSE topics.
Consent - what do we need to know?
Consent is an active agreement to do something and exists in many different situations. When we recognise consent as a familiar, everyday action, it takes the pressure off. We’re consenting to things all the time - we use communication and assess our own boundaries as a natural reflex. Rise Above have lots of great videos to use as conversation starters.
Consent is more than yes and no. Consent deserves a comprehensive definition - not just yes and no and not just a cup of tea! There are key elements that make up the comprehensive definition of consent and we can remember this through using the FRIES tool: consent is freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic and specific.
Talking about consent is part of challenging sexual violence in wider society. It’s not just consent ‘in the moment’ of sexual activity that’s important, but also how consent plays out outside of the moment. Our reality as it stands is that society perpetuates and allows non-consensual behaviour in many ways through things like glamourising sexual violence on screen and objectifying bodies in advertising. We encourage young people to understand how their everyday behaviours (things like like making sexist jokes or perpetuating gendered stereotypes) can contribute to rape culture.
Sex and intimacy - what do we need to know?
There is no ‘right’ or ‘proper’ way to have sex. Sex means different things for different people. The distinction of intercourse (anything penetrative) and outercourse (anything non-penetrative) can be useful to help us understand sex isn’t just penis-in-vagina. This validates sexual experiences for people who might not have penis-in-vagina sex: queer people, disabled people, people who don’t enjoy it, people with vulval pain conditions and many more.
Consensual sex and sexual pleasure are a healthy part of our lives, and shouldn’t be shamed or stigmatised. Pleasure is still not included on the government guidelines. But if we don’t talk about sex feeling good then many people still expect it to be uncomfortable or unpleasant - this isn’t right. We can use language like ‘comfortable’ and ‘pleasant’ to talk about pleasure and remove the stigma that surrounds enjoying sex and contributes shaming narratives.
People’s consensual sexual choices are equally valid, even if they are different from our own. Many people have complicated feelings around sex and different ideas and values around sexual scripts. It’s really important to recognise your own values and biases when it comes to sexual orientation and practises, so that you don’t project or enforce them onto other people. Speak subjectively when talking about different kinds of sex people have (’some people will have sex with the same gender, some with different genders’ ‘some people will choose not to have sex’ ‘some people will wait until after marriage to have sex’ etc).
Sexual health - what do we need to know?
Sexual health is physical, emotional and social. It’s something we all have, and it connects with many different parts of our lives. In the same way as our mental health, it fluctuates and can go through periods of being better or worse. It’s important we’re aware of what we can do to protect our sexual health physically, emotionally and socially: what to look out for and where to get support.
Contraception is everyone’s responsibility. Not just the person with the uterus. We need to encourage young people to do their research on contraception (the NHS and Sexwise websites are fab places for this) and be accountable for protecting themselves and others. Remind them that barrier methods (condoms and dental dams) are the only form of protection against STIs. They can access condoms for free at sexual health clinics and some pharmacies, without a parent’s consent (even if they are under 16).
STIs have different symptoms and different treatments. Some are symptomless, which means everyone who is sexually active should be regularly tested (not to mention it’s quick, easy and free!). There is a huge range of treatment out there. Even infections that don’t leave the body (like HIV) can be treated with innovative drugs like PeP and PrEP. Young people need to know where their local sexual health clinic is and how easy it is to get support.
This was a whistle-stop tour and by no means captures everything within the RSE topic. But using these pointers as conversation prompts or ideas for presentations or activities might help you support a young person in your life.
If you’re struggling to have a particular conversation, or want some support facilitating a group or class, please get in touch:
We run creative RSE workshops with young people
We train educators in public and bespoke workshops and
We consult with schools and community organisations to strengthen their RSE provision.
Get in touch on hello@splitbanana.co.uk to find out more.
