Health[e]Living 4 Schools program empowers young people to make meaningful choices in their relationships and sexual lives
Sexual education is extremely important to young people’s development (UNESCO). It helps them build knowledge and has a positive impact on various aspects of their lives such as their self-image, agency, family life, and sex. Yet research shows that the majority of adolescents lack the knowledge needed to make responsible and meaningful choices that might have a life-changing character such as pregnancies or their sexual health (UNFPA).
That is why Health[e]Foundation offers the Health[e]Living 4 Schools program which is based on human rights principles, advancing gender equality, and empowering young people with the necessary knowledge and tools helpful for exploring their own identities, protecting their health, and making meaningful and responsible choices. As part of our focus related to improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally, we take responsibility to empower young people in Dutch schools with sexual education workshops.
After two years of abrupt interruption caused by the global pandemic, we were fortunate to resume our 12 years-long successful collaboration with the American School of the Hague (ASH). We interacted with 112 students in the ages of 15 and 16 and carried out four Health[e]Living 4 Schools workshops. Sessions focused on the awareness of gender and sexual identities and equality, and LGBTQIA+ community; healthy relationships based on mutual consent and the risks and negative consequences it brings when this consent is violated; the role of social media play in our (sexual) relationships; and safer sex, including activities on how to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.
The workshops included engaging activities and topics that are highly relevant for ASH students who evaluated the Health[e]Living 4 Schools program very positively. Most students stressed that they appreciated the fact that the sessions are extremely inclusive, reflecting various diversities and identities. They also highlighted that all the topics were informative and approached in an engaging way.
Our Health[e]Living 4 Schools program brings a positive impact on the lives of young people and is ready to be used and adapted to the needs of your students! In case you would be interested in running this program at your school, do not hesitate to contact us at info@healthefoundation.eu!
