Talking About Consent

Last week, the Government announced that consent is to be taught in all schools as part of the curriculum. This announcement was, in no small part, due to the work of Chantelle Contos, Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame—three significant people of our time whose important voices have been heard during the past year.

The issue of consent also speaks to deeper issues in society around relationships, gender-equity and around one of our School’s values—respect.

Over the past 12 months at Casey Grammar School, we’ve been considering our broader responsibility to our students and our community. A small committee of staff has worked with me to investigate and create the CGS Respectful Relationships Program.

Thanks is extended to Fern Schreuder, Monique Riviere-Pendle, Shane Bell, Josh Cozzio, Belinda Roffey, Brad Schreuder and Claire Harvie for their work on the Program so far, and to all Casey Grammar School teachers who will deliver this Program over the coming months and years.

Supporting Respectful Relationships

This year we have started to teach a stand-alone subject called Respectful Relationships. At this stage it has been launched across Years 7 to 12, but by the end of this year the intention is to broaden the subject to all students from Foundation to Year 12.

While elements of the teachings of Respectful Relationships can be found in other areas of the curriculum, we have committed time and energy to this specific subject because we believe it is critically important and needs to be addressed with all students.

The Casey Grammar School Respectful Relationships learning materials have been designed from a State Government supported program for teachers in primary and secondary schools to develop students’ social, emotional and positive relationship skills. Efforts to promote social and emotional skills and positive gender norms in children and young people have been shown to improve health related outcomes and subjective wellbeing. It also reduces antisocial behaviour such as gender-related violence.

There are numerous benefits for students who participate. They:

  • Are more likely to be motivated
  • Show improved academic outcomes
  • Have higher academic self-efficacy
  • Show improved mental health
  • Are less likely to abuse substances
  • Are less likely to engage in violence, and
  • Are less likely to experience discrimination or stigma.

Teaching and learning activities differ to ensure age appropriateness, but Respectful Relationships incorporates eight key social and emotional learning topics from Foundation to Year 12. These are:

  • Emotional Literacy, which in Years 11 and 12 becomes goal setting, time management and safer socialising
  • Personal Strengths
  • Positive Coping
  • Problem Solving
  • Stress Management
  • Help-Seeking
  • Gender and Identity
  • Positive Gender Relations

The clear teaching of gender inequality issues in Australia is a positive step for our students. Some gender-based expectations can be harmful and lead to limiting life choices and education around these topics has never been more important.

Our Program also has a strong focus, regardless of the topic or content of the day, on protective behaviors. These are behaviours that enable children to recognise and respond to situations in which their personal space and safety might be compromised.

Teaching Respectful Relationships is a vital step but it is only one step and the broader program is best delivered as part of a whole of school approach. Through our educative programs, we seek to help our students—as the adults of tomorrow—to become aware of the need to move society toward gender equity in all aspects of life.

We will also continue to investigate how, through education and support, we can help our whole community to contribute to a society that aims to become more inclusive, open, tolerant and respectful.

For a more detailed introduction to the Respectful Relations Program please click here.

Peter Shepard

Head of Wellbeing