Tienerwijs – CSE on primary schools – The Netherlands (IFMSA NL)

Name of the activity: Tienerwijs – CSE on primary schools

Country/NMO: The Netherlands (IFMSA NL)

Program: Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Contact information: [email protected]

Type of the activity: Education

General description:

Teenwise is a project that provides comprehensive sexual education to primary school pupils. It focuses on the topics physical and emotional sexual development, reproduction, psychological resilience, relationships, sexuality and safe sex. This will be achieved by offering an interactive program consisting of two lessons: one focusing on puberty and relationships, the other focusing on sexuality and safe sex. After our classes the teachers should be capable of continuing the CSE lessons theirselves. The lessons are evaluated by the teachers and peereducators.

Focus area:

Peer Education with adolescents and young people on a variety of topics pertaining to Sexual Health

Problem statement:

Usually, sexual education is provided to secondary schools. In practice this often appears to be too late. Especially in the big cities children seem to need sexual and relational education in an earlier phase of life (like primary school).
Since 2012, according to the new core goals of primary education, it is mandatory to include sexual education in the primary school curriculum. This is important as these children are already involved with sexuality and sexual development, both physically and emotionally. In practice, teachers find it hard to address this problem so they hire an external party, such as IFMSA-NL.

Target groups and beneficiaries:

Target group: children from 9-12 years at primary schools and teachers.
Beneficiary: society

Objectives and indicators of success:

● To make primary school pupils known with physical and emotional sexual development, reproduction, psychological resilience, relationships, sexuality and safe sex. This will be provided with an interactive teaching program.
● To make teachers comfortable and familiar with a form of relational and sexual education, that they can continue at their school. The teachers will be present during the lessons.

Methodology:

The participating schools will be provided with two interactive lessons each lasting two hours. The two classes are preferably spread over two weeks. The following topics are covered:
● Phyisical and emotional sexual development
● Reproduction
● Psychological resilience
● Relationships
● Sexuality
● Safe sex
There is a variety of games/lesson components that can be done. However, the main subjects discussed will remain the same. According to the wishes of the school, the content of the lessons can be adapted. For example, subjects such as homosexuality, loverboys or sexual abuse can be more emphasized.

To ensure high-quality lessons, the peereducators have to be trained during a guideweekend organised by IFMSA-NL.

Plans for evaluation:

Evaluation forms are sent to teachers and peereducators after the classes. This is done locally and is not (yet) nationally coordinated. There are plans to coordinate this nationally so an overview will be available nationally and the same evaluation form is used for all lessons throughout the country.