Young people want an inclusive and comprehensive relationships and sexuality education (RSE), starting from a younger age, according to a new survey of over 1000 young people aged 16 to 20.
The study reported five key messages:
- RSE information should be given before its “too late”
- RSE should represent all young people, including Rainbow, gender diverse and disabled communities,
- Students should be consulted on RSE curricula
- RSE needs more dedicated time in schools and should be accessible and
- Teachers should be trained to deliver RSE content.
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Respondents reported that RSE was often delivered after puberty, or after they had begun to explore sexual activity and relationships. Almost 80 percent agreed RSE beyond year 10 would be beneficial, and 59 percent said RSE would be better if it were delivered earlier. Young people also said they wanted to learn about diversity of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and body differences; they also criticised gender separation for RSE. Over half reported they were not asked their experience and opinions about RSE, and only 50 percent felt current RSE helped them. Respondents said some topics weren’t sufficiently covered, such as sexual abuse and violence, reproductive cycles, and pleasure. Almost half felt there was not enough time dedicated to RSE in school, and said there wasn’t enough opportunity to ask questions. Finally, young people said they felt teachers were often uncomfortable with the content, which meant shorter lessons and fewer topics covered.
Rangatahi also reported that social media, friends and peers, and school were the dominant sources of RSE information across key topics like puberty, consent, pornography, sexual health, healthy relationships and LGBTQIA+ and gender identity. One respondent wrote: “I don’t want another generation of kids relying on social media for information about sexual health and wellbeing.”
Another said “by the time we started RSE, I already had my period, I was already having sex, and I’d already had poor relationships with partners. Most of what we learnt in high school would have been very useful in year 4 or 5.”
The survey was conducted by Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (SWA), formerly Family Planning, in response to a lack of input from young people over the RSE debate.
RSE has been in the spotlight after it was pulled in February this year as part of the coalition agreement. A draft of a replacement has since been put out for consultation, drawing concern from the sector about the narrowing of its content to exclude mention of gender identity.
Related School News article: Rainbow inclusion in schools.
Jackie Edmond, chief executive of SWA said “Government has carried out a review of RSE and politicians are weighing in, particularly on hot topics like gender. But nobody seems to be asking young people what they want.
“Our survey respondents were clear that they wanted RSE better timed to correspond to their needs around sexual activity and relationships… Many of those who responded to our survey highlighted the issue of safety. They talked about how the skills learned in RSE helped them identify and understand sexual harassment, assault and abuse. More than three quarters of survey respondents strongly or somewhat agreed that RSE lessons beyond Year 10 would be beneficial to their personal development and well-being.
“The RSE curriculum has become a politicised issue with lots of imported rhetoric. We felt it was important that young people, for whom the curriculum should be designed, should be the voices at the forefront of this debate.
“I was also struck in the survey responses by young people’s concern for a curriculum which worked not just for them but for their peers, including their LGBTQIA+ peers, and their teachers.”
Julia Drury, a community health promoter with SWA said that after 34 years working with young people she wasn’t surprised at the findings. In her experience, most young people want compulsory RSE from Year 1 to Year 13 so online learning isn’t the default.
“Young people want knowledge and skills to negotiate healthy relationships, talk with others about consent and discuss the realities of body image and sharing images at school. It’s crucial that this happens before they are confronted with online images that don’t look like them or views and attitudes they don’t share,” she says.
Related School News article: Disinformation growing around RSE.
