Empowering Young Minds
At Newham, we believe that engaging young minds early is vital to instilling respect, empathy, and an understanding of safe and healthy relationships. Recognising the importance of equipping children with the knowledge and tools to navigate challenging situations, we have partnered with Talk Consent, an organisation dedicated to delivering impactful education to end sexual violence. This collaboration brings tailored workshops and assemblies to students in primary and secondary schools in Newham.
What Talk Consent Does
Talk Consent specialises in providing age-appropriate and evidence-based education through interactive workshops, assemblies, and discussions. Their sessions are delivered by experienced and relatable facilitators who create a safe and engaging environment for students to learn, discuss, and ask questions. Over the years, Talk Consent has worked with hundreds of schools, delivering modern and relevant education that aligns with the reality of students’ lives.
The programme for Newham schools offers workshops and assemblies that are carefully tailored to the audience’s age group and needs. These sessions cover essential topics, including:
- Understanding Boundaries and Consent:
Students explore bodily autonomy, the importance of personal boundaries, and how to assert their own boundaries while respecting others’. They also learn how consent works in everyday situations.
- Active Bystander Intervention:
Students are empowered to recognise and safely challenge harmful language, stereotypes, and behaviours. Using interactive role play and scenarios, they gain practical skills to intervene when witnessing inappropriate conduct.
- Sexting and Online Consent:
This workshop provides a safe space to discuss online interactions, sexting, and the legal implications of sharing images. It offers guidance on staying safe online, understanding the concept of consent in digital spaces, and avoiding harm to themselves or others.
Why It Matters
These sessions are designed not only to educate but also to empower young people with the skills and confidence to make informed choices and stand up against inappropriate behaviours. By addressing these topics at an early age, we aim to build a generation of individuals who value respect and safety for all.
Talk Consent’s commitment to excellence is reflected in their flexible approach, enabling schools to choose formats that work best for them, such as assemblies for larger groups or workshops for more focused classroom settings. Feedback from schools and students highlights the programme’s effectiveness in creating a positive and meaningful impact.
Feedback from Schools
“We’ve been working with Talk Consent for the past two years, during which they have delivered workshops to all of our KS3 and KS4 students. The facilitators are highly professional and skilled at tailoring the content to suit the age group of the students. The sessions are consistently engaging, and the feedback from our students has been overwhelmingly positive.
Students now speak confidently about the concept of consent, personal boundaries, and they can identify warning signs and inappropriate behaviour. The workshops also cover crucial topics like misogyny, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Following the sessions, many students have demonstrated a greater awareness and understanding of these issues.
Overall, we have found the workshops to be an invaluable resource for promoting a safe and respectful environment at Langdon Academy. They are now embedded within our personal development and well-being programme." – Jim King, Assistant Principal & Designated Safeguard Lead, Langdon Academy.
