COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUALITY EDUCATION (RSE)

In recent weeks the national spotlight has again returned to the issue of violence against women and children, and how we as a country can best respond. The Bloom-Ed team thought this was an opportune time to release our scorecard of the national curriculum - to make it clear how well our current curriculum prepares (or does not prepare) young Australians to enjoy respectful relationships, and to optimise their sexual wellbeing. Decades of international research make it clear that comprehensive RSE programs are a key mechanism to prevent sexual violence, gender-based violence, and other harmful behaviour. Read this recent news article and check out the scorecard in full here and below.

 

We hope you will also take time to recognise IDAHOBIT this Friday 17 May 2024. LGBTIQA+ folk still experience discrimination in Australian workplaces, schools and community spaces so please do what you can to spotlight this issue

 

As usual our e-News also spotlights an awesome RSE program, and we share the latest research, advocacy efforts, resources and events that are focused on evidence-based RSE for young Australians. If you have something that people need to know about please get in touch!

The Bloom-Ed curriculum scorecard

Catching up with...

Angelique from Consent Labs

I had the opportunity to catch up with Angelique Wan, one of the co-founders for Consent Labs, an organisation providing sequential and comprehensive consent education to young people and their supporting communities.

 

Angelique began her university studies in 2015, as did her friend, Dr Joyce Yu (Consent Labs co-founder). While both of them were studying at different campuses, it was clear that both universities (and indeed most universities) had the same problems in regards to the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault, and their disproportionate effects on women. Whilst evident on-campus, they also found it to be reflected in broader society in general.

 

These attitudes towards women were completely normalised amongst campus and having just left the school system themselves Angelique and Joyce determined that education around these matters needed to be strengthened. They had not been equipped from previous schooling to navigate what constitutes sexual violence and how to combat it.

 

Recognising the power of education as a tool, Angelique and Joyce formed Consent Labs, which provide programs to young people from high schools, tertiary institutions, community organisations and their support people.

The youth-led content aims to abolish harassment and abuse, while advocating for consent and respectful relationships and are intended to change the culture around sexual assault. The courses are evidence based and have been delivered to 70,000 people within three years, throughout Australia.

 

Angelique shared the exciting news that Consent Labs is expanding to Melbourne in July this year where they will have further reach.

 

The positive feedback and testimonials Angelique and the team at Consent Labs receive affirms the impact they are having and the need for the services they are providing.

 

Consent Labs are currently co-creating gender and sexuality resources along with Sydney University which we are looking forward to seeing developed. Volunteers and allies are encouraged to reach out via email and social media platforms to offer support.

 

 As a teacher who advocates for comprehensive respectful sexual and relationships education, it was inspiring chatting to Angelique. Having lived on campus myself, her recounts of campus living resonated with me and it is reassuring to know organisations like Consent Labs exist. 

 

--- Ange Curry, Bloom-Ed team member

A Consent Labs session in action

Get involved

International Day Against LGBTIQA+ Discrimination, May 17 2024

Body Safety Australia is asking young people to #SetTheBar for what that sex education should look like

SIREN Symposium, 30-31 May 2024

20th International Gender and Education Association Conference, 17-20 June 2024

AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, 22-26 July 2024

Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference, IUSTI, and the Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference, 16-20 September 2024

2024 Youth Health Conference, 11-13 November 2024

"Not Just Another (Feminist) Conference": Gathering To Explore Courageous Feminisms, 13-15 November 2024

27th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health, 16-16 June 2025

In the news...

 

Relationships and sexual wellbeing in the Australian curriculum.

Bloom-Ed warns that the sexual wellbeing of young Australians will suffer if the curriculum is not updated.

 
read here
 

Winners announced for 2024 Australian Book Industry Awards.

"Welcome to Sex!' wins Book of the Year for Older Children 

 
read here
 

Health and Physical Education in WA

Changes within the curriculum include addressing puberty in year 4, and addressing 'sexual 'relationships' throughout the curriculum

 
read here
 

We teach school kids about safe sex. We need to teach safe sexting too.

"Sexting involves taking self-made naked or partially naked sexual photos, videos or explicit texts and sending them online or via a mobile phone".

 
read here
 

4 things our schools should do now to help prevent gender-based violence

Here are four things schools, teachers and education authorities should implement now to make our communities safer.

 
read here
 

Here’s how you can talk to your kids about gendered violence, and 7 ways to model good behaviour

"While there has been consistent messaging that 'we all have a role to play' when it comes to stopping violence against women, actual guidance on what parents should do can be difficult to find."

 
read here
 

Sexually explicit media literacy education: a scoping review of parental perspectives and relevant resources

"Viewing sexually explicit media (SEM) can influence young people’s sexual attitudes and behaviours. Media literacy education can help young people navigate this"

 
read here
 

Curtin University researcher offers teens advice through RSE Project on healthy relationships

"Some experts think supporting teens through romantic relationships should focus on how to maintain healthy relationships rather than fixating on the negative".

 
read here

Resources

 

LGBTIQ+ learning lounge

 

Find out how you can play nice and stay safe online by exploring a range of topics designed for the LGBTIQ+ community.

 
learn more
 

'Send Nudes?'

 

Teens’ perspectives of education around sexting, an argument for a balanced approach.

 
learn more

We want to celebrate, share and make aware. As part of Bloom-Ed's mission to create collective action for RSE, we would love to showcase the fabulous work that is happening around Australia. We want to spotlight any work that supports efforts to provide evidence-based RSE to Australians - be this through homes, schools, community groups, or other means.

 

How can you help?

  • If your current work aligns with our mission to provide evidence-based RSE to Australians, we would love to include your organisation's name and logo on our websites under our 'Allies' tab. Check out the amazing list of allies who have already joined us!

  • Let us know if there is campaign, petition, consultation or event that we should now about. We'd love to share it. 

  • Do you know of a good RSE resource or program that we can showcase on our socials or in our next newsletter? We are always keen to spotlight fabulous initiatives.

 

 
Get in touch

So who is Bloom-ED? We are a collective of teachers, researchers, sexologists, students, parents and activists who operate as an alliance - in conjunction with other organisations - to advocate for comprehensive RSE. Learn more about our hopes for RSE here. At the current time our focus is on improving RSE delivery in Australia, but watch this space...

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