Yes Yes Yes

BY ELEANOR BISHOP & KARIN McCRACKEN

Yes Yes Yes is a show about consent, healthy relationships and desire, developed with teenagers at the heart of the narrative. It also includes some discussion of sexual violence. These ideas can be confronting and uncomfortable to talk about but they are so important. The show was developed with Rape Prevention Education, so the content and messaging of the show follows best practice guidelines for 14 year olds and above, and we hope that your students will walk away feeling positive about their capacity to have safe and happy relationships.

Despite this, there are some safety measures that are important for you and your students to get as much as you can out of the experience.

What follows are some pre and post-show activities that you can use, both with your students and on behalf of them.

Engaging with your school counsellor:

It is recommended that you let your school counsellor know about your visit to see the show. The show may be triggering for students that have experienced any form of sexual assault so it is good if the counsellor has a heads up (and they also may just like to come). It is also a good idea to clarify with the students the process of making appointments with their counsellor, if you think this may not be known, so they can use this resource if they need to.

Behaviour management during the performance:

It is appreciated if you cover the basic etiquette that is expected in a performance with your students (particularly if your students are not drama students), ie. not talking during the show, respecting the performer, using the bathroom before the show begins and not during etc. There are sections in the play where they will be encouraged to use their phones - so there is no blanket phone ban.

It is also really appreciated if you could monitor student behaviour during the performance, as it is important that the performer feels safe to deliver the show and its message. If you feel you need to manage student behaviour at any point during the show, for example, asking them to leave the theatre or quietly speaking to them, feel free to do so.

You know your students better than anyone, and will be able to judge exactly what is required. If you think your students might be a bit newer to this kind of content/might have difficulty with it, please think about bringing extra teachers with you to help manage them.

Invitation to leave the space

At the very beginning of the show, the performer outlines what the show is about, and states that if anyone feels uncomfortable, or like they no longer want to be watching the show, they are very welcome to leave and take a breather, and that they are also allowed back at any time. You might like to have a teacher stationed near the door who if need be, can follow the student to the foyer/safe space, to check in with them. So far no one has left during the show, but nevertheless this is a good thing to be prepared for if it does eventuate.

We encourage you to do a period of preparation prior to viewing the show. Here are some activities you could use with your students:

1. A contract for safe discussion.

Co-construct a contract with your students for the lesson. Think about safe sharing, their ability to leave the space, kindness and empathy. Have this contract visible throughout the lesson so you can come back to it, if and when needed. This question might help you start:

• What do we need to do as a class to keep ourselves safe

• during this period, as we discuss some confronting ideas?

• What can your teacher do to facilitate your safety in this conversation?

• What can others do to make you feel brave to share your ideas?

• What can others do to make you feel safe to be vulnerable? To share something personal?

• What would make you feel unsafe?

• How can the use of devices in the classroom be helpful or harmful?

• What can you do to make other people feel brave and safe?

• What type of language makes you feel unsafe?

• What type of language encourages you?

2. Starting the conversation. Bus stop brainstorm.

• Split your class into four groups and allocate them one of the following topics each, on a large piece of paper, make sure every group member has a pen:

What do you know about consent?

What do you think a healthy/positive relationship looks/sounds/feels like?

How does social media affect relationships?

How do you keep yourself safe when dating?

• Each group should spend five minutes on the topic they are given initially, writing down as much as they can, on what they know about the topic.

• After five minutes the group moves to the next topic, where they can add to what has already been written for two minutes. Repeat this process until the students get back to the initial topic they were given.

• Spend ten minutes collating the information, on their initial brainstorm topic, into bullet points on the back of the paper and share with the class.

This should give you a good idea of what the students know and are willing to share. If you feel comfortable addressing issues that come up, now is a great time to open safe conversation, with your contract in mind. If not, hold onto the brainstorms so you can use them when reflecting on the students experience of watching Yes Yes Yes.

3. Setting up the class to participate in Yes Yes Yes.

Following on from the conversation that has already been started with the brainstorms, have a teacher facilitated discussion around the following question:

What is not ok to joke about when we are talking about consent?

Yes Yes Yes includes audience participation and students will be able to volunteer to read characters in the story. Facilitate a discussion around the following question:

What do we need to do as a volunteer and as an audience member to keep ourselves safe during the performance?