Relationships, intimacy and sexuality play an important role in adolescents' lives. But how do you express that you don't know everything? How do you make your own choices? And how do you express your boundaries? That's what the Girls' Choice and Boys R Us workshop is all about. Youth prevention officers Saren Schut and Rosco Wiebers give these together with teachers from Porteum: 'It's about increasing knowledge and awareness. We make sexuality and relationships discussable.'
Preventive character
The Girls' Choice and Boys R Us workshop of Welzijn Lelystad 's youth prevention work has a preventive character. Various topics around sexuality and relationships are addressed in a playful manner. Friendship and love relationships in particular, in which sexuality can play a role, sometimes pose challenges for children. This plays out both inside and outside school. When is a relationship still pleasant and when does it cross boundaries,' Rosco explains.
Safe environment
The pilot will be evaluated before the summer holidays, but initial results are positive. The workshop matches the age stage of teenagers. Youth prevention officers, together with teachers, ensure a safe environment. 'We make every effort to have an open, respectful and supportive dialogue. We also respect students' boundaries. That way, students have the opportunity to discuss their questions and concerns,' say Saren and Rosco. And they succeed. 'We bring attention to this vulnerable topic in a respectful way with this workshop,' Saren concludes.
Want to know more about youth prevention work? Then read on.
Rosco and Saren told about this workshop in the broadcast of Omroep Flevoland.
