Our purpose
For students to be informed and confident about the changes they will go through, to become people who love and respect their own bodies and needs - and to honour and respect others and their needs and differences, too.
Our approach is to offer learning that lasts
The ability to listen to and respect yourself and your body is a vital element in growing up to become a healthy adult. Engaging students in a program that lasts over a number of sessions provides ongoing opportunity for them to develop greater understanding and ease with the challenging areas of puberty and sexuality.
Our program is based on teaching methods that:
Our program is based on teaching methods that:
- are interactive;
- allow students to consider their beliefs, developing further understanding and compassion for diversity;
- enable them to ask questions; and
- empower them to know how to get support if they need it.
Structure of our programs
- 6, 8 or 10 week programs, with all students together for most sessions (starting and ending as a group)
- Minimum of 2 sessions delivered as girls only and boys only sessions
- Duration of each session: 2 hours
We provide prepared lesson plans and support for class teachers, which provides great opportunity for professional development.
Students with special needs
We work with students of all levels and abilities, because everyone deserves to understand and love their body.
Parent/Carer information sessions
We always recommend offering an evening for parents/carers prior to the program being delivered. However great or small the parent attendance, it’s an ideal opportunity to engage families, and for the staff to hear from parents/carers regarding the structure and content of the program.
During these sessions, we provide opportunity for you to consider what you would like your young person to know in preparation for the wild ride of puberty on their way to becoming a mature young adult.
During these sessions, we provide opportunity for you to consider what you would like your young person to know in preparation for the wild ride of puberty on their way to becoming a mature young adult.
Number of Delivery Hours
UNESCO recommends that students receive 12 sexuality education sessions each year in primary school.
The Victorian government resource Catching On Early recommends at least 10 sessions for effective learning and behaviour shifts.
Best practice with us is a 10 week delivery, where we provide the lesson plans, activities, props and master copies for resources.
Each school has a variation on student learning needs and hours of curriculum available. In recognition of this, we can adapt the duration and content program to meet your needs, while ensuring that we cover core learning objectives of sexuality education.
The Victorian government resource Catching On Early recommends at least 10 sessions for effective learning and behaviour shifts.
Best practice with us is a 10 week delivery, where we provide the lesson plans, activities, props and master copies for resources.
Each school has a variation on student learning needs and hours of curriculum available. In recognition of this, we can adapt the duration and content program to meet your needs, while ensuring that we cover core learning objectives of sexuality education.
What you get when we work with your school
We’re happy to work with you to create the best option for group size (up to a maximum of 46 students) and timetable management, based on your preference.
Along with program delivery hours, at no additional cost our time with you includes:
Along with program delivery hours, at no additional cost our time with you includes:
- Briefing and information sessions for class teachers
- Invitation and information documents for parents
- Preparation of program structure and content, including session plans
- Regular check-ins with staff to review students' learning needs, adjusting program accordingly
- Use of our training resources and assistance for teachers
- Debrief meeting with staff, in addition to responding to feedback from students during the program
Example Program content
Before classes begin
Parent information session (Students not present)
Overview of what we’ll be covering. Reflect on parents’ experiences of puberty.
Time for questions and discussion of what parents would like us to cover.
Overview of what we’ll be covering. Reflect on parents’ experiences of puberty.
Time for questions and discussion of what parents would like us to cover.
1. Welcome
Name game, establish guidelines for group work
Brainstorm with group – What do you know already/what have you heard?
Activity: Word cards (terms we’ll be looking at in this program)
Class Set: More Secret Girls’ Business and Secret Boys’ Business
Time for students to read these privately.
Brainstorm with group – What do you know already/what have you heard?
Activity: Word cards (terms we’ll be looking at in this program)
Class Set: More Secret Girls’ Business and Secret Boys’ Business
Time for students to read these privately.
2. Puberty changes
Transitions, changes associated with puberty, reproductive systems, sexual development and maturation. What happens and how it feels.
Messages:
Everyone’s different (development timing, shape, feelings), it’s normal!
Each of us can know, respect and care for our own beautiful body.
Activity: Sort out list of puberty changes experienced as your body matures to a young adult
Includes discussion of LGBTQIA+ and what it means for them at this time
Messages:
Everyone’s different (development timing, shape, feelings), it’s normal!
Each of us can know, respect and care for our own beautiful body.
Activity: Sort out list of puberty changes experienced as your body matures to a young adult
Includes discussion of LGBTQIA+ and what it means for them at this time
3. Creating life
Intercourse, conception, pregnancy and birth
Practical information on how our mature adult bodies can create life
Second half in girls/boys only groups
Girls: Menstrual cycle
Introduction to the menstrual cycle and girl to woman changes
Boys: Sperm production
Introduction to sperm production and boy to man changes
Anonymous questions: What would you like to learn about?
Practical information on how our mature adult bodies can create life
Second half in girls/boys only groups
Girls: Menstrual cycle
Introduction to the menstrual cycle and girl to woman changes
Boys: Sperm production
Introduction to sperm production and boy to man changes
Anonymous questions: What would you like to learn about?
4. Menstrual cycle and sperm production - Girls/Boys only sessions
Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle, menstrual myths and girl to woman changes
Sperm production
Sperm production, penis myths and boy to man changes
Answers to Anonymous questions
Provide responses to questions students asked anonymously last week.
Include questions asked by the opposite sex.
The menstrual cycle, menstrual myths and girl to woman changes
Sperm production
Sperm production, penis myths and boy to man changes
Answers to Anonymous questions
Provide responses to questions students asked anonymously last week.
Include questions asked by the opposite sex.
5. Body Image & Expectations - Girls/Boys only sessions
Culture, media, peer pressure. The restrictions of the Act Like A Man/Woman box.
How can we take care of ourselves lovingly, stay true to our values and have the strength to stand up to pressures?
Feedback
Ask students: What have you learned so far/enjoyed? Things to improve? What would you like to know/understand more about?
How can we take care of ourselves lovingly, stay true to our values and have the strength to stand up to pressures?
Feedback
Ask students: What have you learned so far/enjoyed? Things to improve? What would you like to know/understand more about?
6. Relationships and power plays - Girls/Boys only sessions
Hormones, your brain and puberty - and how they affect what you are feeling. Relationships are affected by many things.
Students to work with examples and role play their own suggestions
- What you like/don’t like about your friendships with girls/boys
- Boy Cliques/Girl Cliques and ‘cool’ people
- Emotional Intelligence
Students to work with examples and role play their own suggestions
7. Our Values and our identity
Relationships and safety. What makes us who we are? How do the choices we make influence our well-being? The ways that people view each other based on gender.
Respecting Diversity
People who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer
Activity: The Genderbread Person. Discuss what it means for young people whose experience differs from the heterosexual identity
Respecting Diversity
People who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer
Activity: The Genderbread Person. Discuss what it means for young people whose experience differs from the heterosexual identity
The final weeks
The last classes will be a selection of one or a combination of the following areas.
It will include Program review & feedback: Key messages review: your body, relationships and safety.
It will include Program review & feedback: Key messages review: your body, relationships and safety.
Option 1: Healthy versus Unhealthy
How do we keep ourselves safe and healthy?
Exercise, washing, diet, massage, ask for what we need, pleasing ourselves, time out, confidence to say no.
Students to discuss and explore how they are looking after themselves:
Exercise, washing, diet, massage, ask for what we need, pleasing ourselves, time out, confidence to say no.
Students to discuss and explore how they are looking after themselves:
- Self-care quiz, 10 Ways to feed the brain
Option 2: Dealing with sensitive issues
This could be held as a girls/boys only session.
There will always be challenges in life. It’s up to us to develop strategies to respond.
There are many things that can we can find difficult. Examples:
Where to go for support
What strategies can we put in place that are easy for us to access when we need help?
Discuss support services for young people and how they can be useful.
There will always be challenges in life. It’s up to us to develop strategies to respond.
There are many things that can we can find difficult. Examples:
- Tricky friendship situations, bullying and cyberbullying , eating disorders, family breakdown, anxiety, depression, sadness and grief , addiction and what it does to your brain, values and difference of values.
Where to go for support
What strategies can we put in place that are easy for us to access when we need help?
Discuss support services for young people and how they can be useful.
Option 3: Beyond the body changes
How do we change as we physically grow - mentally, emotionally, spiritually?
Activity: Consent and giving a clear no or a clear yes
Practical exercise: Students to work with examples and come up with their own ideas of when they need to give a clear no or yes
Activity: Consent and giving a clear no or a clear yes
Practical exercise: Students to work with examples and come up with their own ideas of when they need to give a clear no or yes
Assessment Suggestions
Written exercises used during the program can be collected for assessment.
Students can select a topic based on the puberty and wellbeing program for English. These could be collated for a class resource kit.
Optional assessment: Effects of the media, social media and culture on our body image.
Students can select a topic based on the puberty and wellbeing program for English. These could be collated for a class resource kit.
Optional assessment: Effects of the media, social media and culture on our body image.