Support for Educators & Wellbeing Staff

Thank you for being a part of Youth Wellbeing Project’s Professional Development Workshop. Our aim is to support educators and wellbeing staff to educate for prevention of sexual harms, enhancement of children and young people’s social and emotional relationships, and fortification of youth within a hypersexualised culture.

This followup information is designed to build capacity within your organisation and provide further suggestions for proactive and protective responses to concerning sexual behaviours.

Before moving on, please provide presentation feedback (available on the far right tab of this page). Then we suggest exploring the additional information and links, including accessing the PDF document below that provides a summary of the main Proactive and Protective Responses presented in our Professional Development Workshop.

Departments Heads may also benefit from the Proactive and Protective Response Tools:

  • Tool 1: Wellbeing & Safeguarding Programs
  • Tool 2: Online Risk Management
PDF FLYER: GUIDANCE FOR EDUCATORS & WELLBEING STAFF

Download this flyer for a summary of the guidance we provided on responding proactively and protectively to concerning sexual behaviours in our Professional Development Workshop.

WELLBEING & SAFEGUARDING PROGRAMS: PROACTIVE & PROTECTIVE RESPONSE TOOL 1

Successful implementation of online & physical environment safeguarding education and innovative wellbeing curriculum requires professional integration, training, and support prior to implementation, as well as ongoing support for children, young people and the responsible adults during the program.

A whole of organisation, inclusive, age-appropriate strategy is required. An organisation needs to articulate and value the learners right to feels safe at all times – when online, in the classroom and on the school grounds.

This tool can be used for something as simple as deciding on a guest speaker through to the decision to implement a new wellbeing or safeguarding program that integrates across the whole organisation.

ONLINE RISK MANAGEMENT: PROACTIVE & PROTECTIVE RESPONSE TOOL 2

Successfully managing online & physical environment risks for children and young people requires a robust response, including up to date policies, implementation of digital child protection, and easy to access procedures for children, young people and responsible adults involved.

A whole of organisation safeguarding strategy is required. An organisation needs to articulate and value the learners right to feels safe at all times – when online, in the classroom and on the school grounds.

This tool will assist you and your organisation to successfully implement or review the management of risks, reporting processes, communication of incidents with parents, and digital platform management – systems designed to protect children and young people in your care.

Pornography has now become the main sex educator for a vast number of youth. To provide an idea of the statistical likelihood of young people being in some way, influenced by pornography, an Australian study published in 2017 found that 69% of boys and 23% of girls have seen pornography by age 13 or younger. This same study found that in the 15-29-year-old age bracket, 84% of young men and 19% of young women watched pornography on a weekly or daily basis. Due to the hardcore, most often violent nature of pornography, youth consumption is resulting in a significant number of harms to their physical and mental health, wellbeing and relationships.

Teens who are regularly accessing pornography can do so at the click of a button as often as they seek it out. In addition, youth are regularly absorbing hypersexualised media messages via digital technology platforms, social media, gaming, music videos, movies, and more. We cannot expect young people to receive enough information to counteract hypersexualised culture from one or even numerous school presentations. As such, it is important that they have regular opportunities to critique the stories that pornography tells them, and ensure they are provided with alternative and accurate information to assist them to resist pornified messages and develop their own pathways for authentic sexual development. So young people can be fully supported, it is vitally important for teachers, parents and carers to be fully informed. Parents can be directed to Culture Reframed and the  Office of the eSafety Commissioner – relevant links can be found on the Follow-up Support Links Tab.

The following information is designed to equip staff to feel confident to discuss any questions that may arise during and after our visit, so that student learning and critique continues beyond the session(s) provided.

Teacher Preparation

Is free pornography destroying our brains? is a documentary produced in New Zealand by TV3. The 3D investigative journalist, Phil Vine, spoke to porn users and porn addicts, as well a top international scientist and Youth Wellbeing Project Managing Director, Liz Walker, who say online porn can actually alter our brains.

Viewing this video is recommended for all teachers and wellbeing staff involved with students who attend our presentation(s), however it is also applicable for other teachers and support staff throughout the school. The broader the understanding amongst the school community of pornography impacts, the more likely that consistent messages will be provided to students. Another potential outcome of all staff accessing this information, is the possibility of cultivating a whole-school culture shift.

How do we talk about porn with students?
  • Discuss Porn Culture from a critical analysis view point, just as you would a written or visual text.
    • Rather than talking about a specific pornographic film/visual, discuss ‘porn culture’ and the impact it is having on the way young people think and feel. Porn culture includes hypersexualised advertising, ’sex focused’ reality tv, sexualisation on social media and much more.
    • How are these texts ‘positioning’ audiences to think, feel, act?
  • Discuss porn culture as a ‘sexual educator’. What is porn culture teaching us about sex and sexuality? Have the conversation as a class. Where do most people these days learn about sex? What are the advantages/dangers of this?
  • Ask open ended, non-judgmental questions using third-person language:
    • What could someone do if they saw images or video footage that made them feel uncomfortable?
    • Where could someone find support if…
    • How may someone feel if…
  • Refer to the Guidance for Educators & Wellbeing Staff PDF for further suggestions.
“Go To” Links

IQ PROGRAMS equip educators for tricky conversations.

IQ PROGRAMS are a whole-school educational package designed to equip kids & youth to confidently navigate hypersexualised culture and other 21st century challenges.

COMPASS IQ and AGENCY IQ are signature programs within the IQ package, designed to safeguard kids and youth in the online and physical environments.

EACH IQ PROGRAM contains sequenced units that are comprised of 2-3 lesson clusters. Each unit targets topics in a way that is inclusive, current and age-appropriate.

LEARN MORE

Youth Wellbeing Project provides presentations for students, educators, counsellors, health professionals, and parents and caregivers. Click here for more information.