Building a Culture of Consent for Children, Teenagers and Young Adults
Building a Culture of Consent for
It can be uncomfortable to think that children need to be taught the skills around consent. I’m very much of the belief that prevention is better than a child needing to see a professional when something has gone wrong. Consent work supports children to stay safe in their community and online.
I work creatively with children to:
- Help them to understand their body boundaries
- Recognise what their yes and no feel like through embodiment practices
- Teach different ways of communicating their boundaries
- Identifying trusted adults in their lives to share their worries with.
I use song, storytelling, movement, sharing and art as way to engage children on the subject of consent, making it fun, accessible, age appropriate and non threatening.
Building a Culture of Consent for
Teenagers
Awareness around sexual harassment and consent has increased since movements like “Everyone’s Invited” put the spot light on the widespread issue in schools. When building a culture for consent, particularly for teenage boys, it isn’t about making them the villain, shaming them or making them wrong. It’s about connecting with them, recognising their own vulnerability of what it means to be a young man, understanding the pressures put on them and using that as a starting point. When those foundations have been laid, then talking about healthy relationships, sexual health, consent, boundaries and sexual harassment. When building a culture of consent it is important to recognise that every child of all genders deserves to learn the skills of consent.
Consent work with teenagers covers:
- What consent means
- Different models of consent; FRIES, enthusiastic and authentic consent
- Embodying your yes, no, uncertainty
- Stepping towards your boundaries
- What to do when things go wrong
The workshops are interactive and spacious enough for the group to ask questions along the way.
Building a Culture of Consent for
Young Adults
It’s a concerning fact that sexual harassment and assault are widespread throughout UK universities, and it’s increasingly clear that a cultural shift is urgently needed. I work alongside Rupert from ‘The Art of Consent’ to support colleges and universities to build a culture of consent by equipping students with the necessary knowledge and skills.
- Understanding that consent skills are relevant to all areas of life (and not just sex)
- A knowledge of different models of consent, which are applicable in different contexts
- An awareness of issues which impact consent, such as drugs/alcohol and social and professional power imbalances
- Gaining practical tools to develop and improve their consent skills
- Tuning into the body to clearly recognise and express their own boundaries
- Responding respectfully to the boundaries of others
- Normalising talking about consent amongst friends, colleagues and family
Building a Culture of Consent
Why Work with Eshana?
I am a JNC qualified Youth Worker with a BA in Youth and Community Studies. I have over 13 years experience of working with young people for both statutory and voluntary organisations. In this time I have developed a passion for the subject of ‘Relationships and Sex Education’ (RSE). I have delivered workshops for Cambridge University as well as working for the NHS, Surrey County Council and YMCA delivering RSE in schools. I have managed a sexual health drop in service for young people, distributing condoms, chlamydia screening and pregnancy tests alongside an educative programme of workshops to develop a healthy relationship with their sexuality. In 2021/22 I worked with children and young people that had uploaded indecent images online, who were at risk or had been sexually exploited.
Want to know what other 'Relationships and Sex Education' Subjects I cover? Want to know what other 'Relationships and Sex Education' Subjects I cover?
