Engaging Boys and Young Men in Consent and Respectful Relationships Education
Welcome to part two of the blog where we are sharing the ways Learning Consent engage boys and young men in consent and relationships education.
Missed part one? No worries!
In part one, we discussed the critical cultural messages boys receive about masculinity and how these narratives can impact their developing sense of identity. We know firsthand how important it is to approach these conversations carefully, supporting boys in a way that doesn’t make them feel as though they’re inherently part of the problem.
In this post, we’ll share some of the most challenging yet essential aspects of this work. We’ll explore the realities of sexual violence through powerful survivor stories and share how a youth-centered approach empowers young boys. We’ll also discuss the importance of providing boys with reliable, nonjudgmental information to empower them in building respectful, healthy relationships and we’ll share some of these favourite programs and resources with you.
The Reality of Sexual Violence: Victim Survivor’s stories
By sharing the realities of victim survivor stories we can learn so much about consent and relationships. Our programs are designed to sometimes be hard hitting, to communicate the reality of sexual violence for young people in Australia. Telling survivor stories can be confronting but it’s another way we engage young men in the conversation and build empathy. Our high school program contains a few ‘unsanitised and unedited’ survivor stories. These are videos of actors retelling a survivor's story of sexual violence. They are uncomfortable for students to watch, but they are impactful. For young men, it is often the first time they are hearing a personal account of sexual violence from a female’s perspective. In the program feedback we receive from students, it is often these hard-hitting stories that they have found to be the most powerful.
A youth led approach: collaborating with boys
We invite boys and young men into the design and delivery of our program content. Our lessons contain a lot of scenario-based learning, and we consult with boys and young men on these scenarios. We ask them to come up with their own scenarios as a collaborative exercise.
As well as co-designing our program content, we also ask boys and young men to co-deliver our student workshops. I have been particularly impressed with the young men who have elected to be facilitators at our workshops and the impact for the younger students they are holding space for is phenomenal. I once heard a popular male student leader say to a group of young students, discussing a scenario involving sex and alcohol, ‘just don’t have drunk sex, in my personal experience it’s never good’. That would have meant nothing coming from me, or a teacher, but from a respected peer, it’s powerful.
Safe avenues for reliable information
We engage with boys and young men by offering them anonymous avenues to ask questions and access reliable information. At the end of each lesson the students are asked to submit anonymous comments or questions regarding the topics discussed in the lesson. These questions demonstrate such profound engagement with the content and further contribute to better comprehension and understanding.
This is a small way to dodge the immense stigma that accompanies boys seeking answers to questions they have about sex and relationships. By offering a safe avenue for boys and young men to ask questions that they often cannot, we are able to provide them with reliable sources of information to learn more.
Resources and programs we love!
There are several fantastic violence prevention resources and programs specifically for boys and young men. Below are a few of our favourites:
The Man Cave is an Australian-based charity focused on the mental health, emotional literacy, and positive development of boys and young men. The organisation aims to foster a healthier and more authentic masculinity by empowering young men to build emotional resilience, develop respectful relationships, and actively contribute to their communities. Delivering in-school programs, workshops, and online resources, the Man Cave, creates safe spaces for boys to explore themes like mental health, self-awareness, relationships, and masculinity. Through these programs, young men are encouraged to discuss their feelings, challenge harmful stereotypes, and gain tools to navigate relationships and personal challenges effectively.
In addition to programs for youth, The Man Cave also offers workshops and resources for parents and teachers, equipping them with the skills to support young men in their journeys toward becoming empathetic, self-aware individuals.
The Line provides young people with information and resources to help them understand and navigate healthy relationships, consent, and respectful behaviour. Launched as part of a broader campaign to prevent domestic and gender-based violence, The Line uses social media, videos, articles, and interactive resources to engage youth in conversations about what’s okay and what’s not when it comes to dating, sex, and relationships.
She Is Not Your Rehab, founded by Matt and Sarah Brown, is an anti-violence movement that encourages men to recognise and take accountability for their own trauma, rather than projecting it onto women and loved ones. The movement aims to break cycles of violence and build healthier, more resilient relationships and communities.
The movement recognises that past trauma is a personal responsibility, and that healing is essential for creating a respectful, supportive environment for everyone involved. Adding to this project, Matt Brown has recently launched InnerBoy, a free, accessible app designed to guide men through the healing process from intergenerational trauma and abuse. The app provides tools, support, and a safe community, helping men work through their pain and build a more positive and healthy future.
Flipping the narrative
So, how can we see all young boys feel proud to be men in this generation? How can we redefine masculinities to empower men to be confident, compassionate, and accountable individuals who embrace their identities while respecting others? The answer lies in embracing new narratives around masculinities and fostering an environment where vulnerability is seen as a strength. At Learning Consent, we aim to help young men understand that true masculinity is rooted in empathy, integrity, and the ability to uplift one another. We are dedicated to being part of this change and building a culture where young men feel safe to express their emotions and learn from one another. We aim to create a community that supports respectful interactions and champions the idea that real strength lies in compassion and collaboration.
