Issue Based Youth Work
Currently all training is virtual at the discount price of £300 per workshop (up to 20 people)
Pornography: empowering or exploitatuve?
Young people, youth culture & social media
Social media, selfies & sexting
Let's talk positive relationships
Based on Vanessa’s highly acclaimed resource books, these courses offer ideas across the youth work and SRE curriculum.
Pornography: empowering or exploitative?
New onto the RSE curriculum, this online workshop will enable educators to develop the skills to be able to talk to young people about this emotive topic with confidence.
Lockdown has seen a rise in the consumption of pornography, particularly amongst young people. From ethical porn to the homemade variety, live streaming to free downloads, pretty much anything is available on most devices, paid for by unwitting parents and carers and watched in the comfort of home.
But without education and support how are children and young people supposed to be able to distinguish between fantasy sex and the real-life positive relationships they aspire to? Whilst not all young people watch porn, statistically most will have to make choices about it and to do that they need to develop the confidence and skills to question what they see and consider its potential impact and influence on everything from their expectations of sex to body image and gender-based stereotypes.
Learning outcomes :
- Understand different perspectives on the role of popular music and its potential influence on children and young people.
- The meaning of ethical and feminist porn and the laws to protect children & young people.
- The potential impact of sexualised music videos and lyrical content on self-esteem, body image and expectations of relationships and sex.
- The potential for porn to perpetuate old gender stereotypes in comparison to arguments about its ability to empower and liberate
- Peer and media influences on ‘sexting’, nude selfies and revenge porn and the importance of consent.
Young People, Youth Culture & Social Media
Every day we are bombarded with thousands of images and words that consciously and subconsciously impact on how we experience the world around us. From fad diets to celebrity endorsements, reality TV to pornography it is quite difficult to find something that hasn’t been dusted with a little media magic to make it seem bigger and better.
But just how much influence, positive and negative does social media actually have on young people and their expectations of adult life?
This workshop offers activities to explore the influence of 'brand me' on young people and youth culture, both positive and negative. From gangs using social media to recruit, music videos and gaming to the potentially harmful impact of porn on body image and real-world sex and relationships, this is an opportunity to step back and question.
Interactive and full of engaging ideas, games and quizzes for young people aged 11-19 (up to 25 with additional needs) this virtuall workshop offers creative ways for youth workers to explore potentially tricky topics and help build the skills to make healthy, happy choices.
Learning outcomes :
- Discuss celebrity culture and changing notions of ‘fame’
- Consider social media and the role it can play in everything from gang crime to bullying as well as celebrating the positive aspects like building communication skills and increasing connectivity
- Ways to challenge media stereotypes and support realistic goals and aspirations
- Ideas for talking about the potential impact of sexualised content and the differences between online and real life sex and relationships, including consent
- Direct youth workers to other sources of information and support, if required
Supporting youth work resources: Media and Popular Culture
Work with young women
For many young women their hopes and dreams are shaped by the celebrity culture around them, and this impacts on their life choices. This training day offers ideas to motivate and inspire young women by exploring gender stereotypes, raising self-esteem and building confidence to enable them to fulfill their potential and reach achievable goals.
Based on Vanessa’s book ‘Working with Young Women – activities for exploring personal, social and emotional issues’ published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, the day provides a framework for work with young women aged 11-19.
Learning outcomes
- Look at ways to build emotional resilience and raise self esteem
- Offer ideas to motivate, build confidence and develop assertiveness skills
- Consider the media and the impact it has on young women’s relationship expectations
- Try out activities that define and promote positive friendships as well as personal relationships
- Explore gender stereotypes and ways to challenge them
- Try out a range of activities to use within a groupwork context
- Promote good practice examples of gender empowerment
Supporting Youth Work Resource Book: Working with Young Women
Social media, selfies & sexting
According to statistics the average young person in the UK has at 7 social media accounts, changing the way they communicate forever both as consumers and content providers. But as the choice of social media platforms increases, along with the potential for sharing every part of our lives, so do concerns about misuse and safety.
This workshop aims to equip those working with young people with the skills and basic knowledge to encourage young people to enjoy social media safely and responsibly. It explores the impact of the carefully curated 'perfect' lives seen on photosharing apps and the rise of ‘brand me’ on health and wellbeing, as well as the attitudes and values behind selfies and sexting. It also looks at the risks of making, sharing and receiving intimate images, revenge porn and outlines the potential legal and social consequences of under 18’s sharing inappropriate content, even with consent.
Learning outcomes
- How and why young people use social media.
- Increased awareness about risky behaviour on social media.
- Wider understanding of young people’s motivations for sending and receiving inappropriate images.
- Ideas for talking with children and young people about the risks and potential consequences of nude selfies and sexting
- Safeguarding concerns and when to report
- A quick guide to the law regarding appropriate and inappropriate conten
- Where to go for more information and support.
Supporting Youth Work Resource Book: Cyberbullying
Young people & alcohol
The issue of young people's alcohol consumption is one that has attracted wide publicity and is a major concern for anyone working with young people. In particular the risks related to 'binge' drinking. Interactive and based on the JKP publication, 'The Little Book of Alcohol', this workshop is packed with activities to use with young people that raise awareness, give knowledge, build resilience skills & promote discussion.
Learning outcomes
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Explore attitudes and values around alcohol
- Try out a range of activities to use with young people in a range of social education environments
- Consider binge drinking and risky behaviours
- Look at gender issues
- Share good practice
Supporting Youth Work Resource Book: A Little Book of Alcohol
Let's talk relationships and sex
This virtual workshop offers teachers and youth workers new ideas to support young people aged 11-19 in building the confidence and emotional resilience to make healthy choices about personal relationships, sex and sexual health. This includes challenging the effect that peer pressure and relationship bullying can have on decisions made, especially around issues of sexual consent and the setting and maintaining of personal boundaries.
Aimed at supporting the new statutory RSE curriculum, this interactive workshop will help teachers and youth workers develop skills, explore values, expand knowledge and come away with practical tools to teach effective, inclusive, quality RSE to young people of secondary age.
Learning outcomes
- Up-to-date information about the requirements of the new RSE curriculum
- Wider understanding of how to ensure inclusive RSE meets the needs of LGBTQ+ young people
- Ways to include the potential impact of pornography and the risks of digital and social media
- Increased confidence in talking to young people about sexual health, sexuality, relationships and sex
- Ways to keep parents and carers informed
- A wide range of resources to use with young people to explore love and relationships
Supporting Youth Work Resource Book: Let's Talk Relationships