Long Form Layout Design - Education Curriculum by katchula

YLC Peer Educator Training Curriculum

Table of Contents Introduction...................................................................................................1-3 Activities Introduction to Class Rights and Responsibilities Icebreaker (optional) Introduction to Class Rights and Responsibilities Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning Decision Making Review Lesson 1: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships…...............................4-5 Activities Healthy/Unhealthy Characteristics Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Lesson 2: Consent………………………………………………...................6-7 Activities FRIES Ask. Listen. Respect. A cup of tea? Lesson 3: Sexual Identity & Orientation…………………………….......8-9 Activities Visualization Sexual Identity Vocabulary List Myths and Facts About Sexual Orientation Lesson 4: Comprehensive Protections Methods……………………....10-12 Activities The Need for Protection Protection Methods Kit Demonstrate condom use What’s the Deal? Lesson 5: Intro to Sexually Transmitted Infections……………………13-16 Activities Deﬁning STIs STI Quiz STIs: What They Are and How to Avoid Them Sexual Behavior and Risk Lesson 6: Decision Making & Role Play………………………………....17-18 Activities Decision-Making Activity Role-plays

Introduction

Duration: 30 minutes LESSON GOALS Create group Rights & Responsibilities Review decision making Acquaint participants with resources PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Review SEL skills Create Class Rights & Responsibilities poster Review participants handouts: Steps to a Decision Newsprint/markers Anonymous questions box

Activity: Introduction to Class Rights and Responsibilities

Introduce yourself and establish classroom expectations Welcome participants and ask what they know about sexuality education from other sources (media and sexuality, sexual orientation, STIs, protection methods, etc.) Give a brief overview of the topics that will be covered (healthy relationships, consent, sexual identity and orientation, contraception, STI/HIV prevention, decision making). Introduce class rights and responsibilities. Label a large piece of paper with the heading “Right and Responsibilities.” Ask participants What rights do you need to have in order to feel safe talking about body changes and sexual health? What would you need to do to help your classmates feel safe talking about body changes and sexual health? What responsibilities can you agree to take on for the class to be successful? Prompt participants as needed and add responses to the list. Have participants sign the list and post it for future reference.

Activity: Icebreaker (optional) If the class is new to you, lead a brief icebreaker to get to know the participants. Ask participants to write down something that makes them unique. Ask participants why it’s important to value individuality in this sexuality education class.

Activity: Introduction to Class Rights and Responsibilities

Activity: Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning

Explain key points of SEL To go along with the Rights and Responsibilities list, introduce Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills that participants will focus on for this training. Display the SEL skills poster. Give definitions and elicit examples from participants. Self-awareness: Recognizing your feelings and values, maintaining self-confidence. Self-management: Expressing emotions appropriately, monitoring progress toward goals. Social awareness: Understanding others, putting yourself in other people’s shoes, recognizing individual and group differences and similarities, recognizing and using family, school, and community resources. Relationship skills: Establishing healthy relationships, resisting social pressure, dealing with conflict, seeking help when needed. Responsible decision making: Making good decisions, keeping yourself healthy and safe, respecting yourself and others.

Activity: Decision Making Review

Review decision-making model. Distribute decision making handout. Ask participants which SEL skill this applies to (responsible decision making) and why they think having a decision-making model is important.

Review the model by applying it to a real-life situation. Give participants the following scenario: “The person you like has a boyfriend or girlfriend, but this person claims to like you too and asks you to meet someplace private after school. What should you do?” Have participants complete their handouts with a partner. Ask participants to share their answers with the class and write their ideas on the board. Process Questions 1. How does weighing the pros and cons help with responsible decision making? 2. Why is it useful to learn a decision-making model? 3. How can you use this model in your everyday life?

Lesson 1: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships Duration: 45 minutes

LESSON GOALS Name and contrast qualities of a healthy relationship with qualities of an unhealthy relationship. Develop a plan for healthy relationships Discuss the importance of respect and boundaries. PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Be familiar with legal consequences for rape, statutory rape, and sexual assault. Review participants handouts Power and Control Wheel Equality Wheel My Plan for Having a Healthy Relationship Healthy vs. Unhealthy scenario cards SEL skills poster Anonymous Questions box

Activity: Healthy/Unhealthy Characteristics

Brainstorm qualities of relationships. State that today’s class will discuss the differences between a healthy and an unhealthy relationship. Explain that relationships can mean friendships or family interactions as well as dating/sexual relationships. Write “Healthy Relationship” and “Unhealthy Relationship” on the board. Have participants brainstorm characteristics for each, writing their suggestions on the board. Ask participants if a big age gap between partners would be considered healthy or unhealthy. What might be unhealthy about it? Ask participants to give examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships from characters on TV shows or in the movies. Participants should give examples of characteristics that support their opinions. Ask what effect images of relationships in the media can have on self-awareness and social awareness.

Activity: Healthy Vs. Unhealthy

Explore healthy and unhealthy relationships. Distribute copies of the Power and Control Wheel as well as the Equality Wheel. Ask participants which SEL skills are necessary to have a relationship with the characteristics found in the Equality Wheel. How are those skills important? (Elicit reason for each of the ﬁve SEL skills.)

Break participants into small groups and give each group two Healthy Vs. Unhealthy scenario cards. Ask participants to decide in their groups which parts of the Power and Control Wheel and/or the Equality Wheel match the different scenarios and why. After some time for discussion, ask the groups to present their scenarios to the class and discuss how they match the different wheels. After each group presents, ask the class if there are other sections of the wheels where these scenarios could fit, then discuss briefly. When discussing the Respect, Trust/Support and Intimacy sections of the Equality Wheel, bring up the concept of consent. Consent means getting a person’s “enthusiastic” permission to engage in an activity. Ask participants what it means to get a person’s “enthusiastic” permission. Stress that any sexual behavior (talking, touching, sex) should be mutually consensual. “No” means no, and if a person has not clearly said “yes” to something, then the answer should be considered “no.” Respecting a partner’s boundaries is a part of relationship skills. Help participants address the fact that some unhealthy behaviors may be deemed “OK” or “normal” by teens even though these behaviors are harmful. These could include behaviors such as calling a partner insulting names but saying it was just a joke. Point out that these behaviors can be harmful or hurtful, and are not part of a healthy relationship. Often such behaviors can escalate and even become dangerous if they continue. Process Questions 1. Why do you think people get into and stay in unhealthy relationships? 2. Name some feelings people have in healthy relationships. Name some feelings people have while in unhealthy relationships. How might you feel if a friend were in an unhealthy relationship? 3. Some relationships can be classified as unhealthy, while others are classified as dangerous. What do you think would make a relationship fall into the “dangerous” category? (answer: Threat of emotional or physical harm.) 4. What are some things that people in unhealthy relationships can do to get out of them? (Get at least five suggestions, making sure that talking to trusted adults and finding resources are covered. Explain that people don’t have to face these situations alone. Seeking help is an important component of relationship skills.) 5. How might “dating” someone change when you’re in high school? How might it change when you’re out of college? 6. What were some of the things you listed under “Fun things to do on a date (nonsexual)”? 7. If someone wanted you to do something you didn’t feel comfortable doing in a relationship, what action(s) could you take?

Lesson 2: Consent Duration: 45 minutes

LESSON GOALS Discuss how to ask for consent Demonstrate what enthusiastic, verbal consent looks like Plan approaches to accepting “no” as normal boundary-setting in relationships PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Teachconsent.org video: Ask. Listen. Respect: A Video about Consent (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6X5I7xoxEY) Tea Consent Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGoWLWS4-kU) Review the FIRES acronym Newsprint Markers

Activity: FRIES

Sexual violence is a big problem in young dating relationships in part because people are not getting and giving consent. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey Report: 1 in 5 females and 1 in 7 males who ever experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, ﬁrst experienced some form of intimate partner violence between 11 and 17 years of age More than half of all rapes of females occur before age 18; 22% occur before the age of 12 Adolescent girls who experience dating violence are more likely to exhibit other serious behaviors such as substance abuse, increased suicide attempts, unhealthy weight control, and risky sexual behavior. Ask teens what they think about when they hear the word “consent”? Explain that asking for consent isn’t hard or awkward, and introduce the FRIES acronym. Consent is: Freely given. It’s not okay to pressure, trick, or threaten someone into saying yes. And you can’t give consent if you’re drunk, high, or passed out. Reversible. It’s okay to say yes and then change your mind — at any time! Even if you’ve done it before, and even if you’re both naked in bed.

Informed. You can only consent to something if you have all the facts. For example, if someone says they’ll use a condom and then they don’t, there isn’t full consent. Enthusiastic. When it comes to sex, you should do stuff you WANT to do, not things people expect you to do. If someone does not seem enthusiastic (meaning happy, excited, or energized), stop and check in. Speciﬁc. Saying yes to one thing (like going to the bedroom to make out) does not mean you are saying yes to other things (like having sex).

Activity: Ask. Listen. Respect.

Explain to the group that everyone will be watching a short video about consent. Play the Ask. Listen. Respect. Video. Once teens have viewed the video, ask: Can you spot 2 or 3 examples of how each teen asked for consent (in the video)? In a few of the examples, one of the teens did not give their consent. How did each teen response when the other said “no”? Do you think this could happen in real life? Why or why not? Explain enthusiastic consent and the importance of asking permission to kiss or touch someone. Further, explain that only "yes" means "yes". Just because someone does not say "no", it does not mean that the person is giving consent. Remember: ask; listen; respect. Activity: A cup of tea? Ask if the group what should someone do if they are unsure if another person has given consent (answer: only “yes” means yes. If you are unsure, that is a no. You may need to ask for further clariﬁcation but you should not proceed without a clear and enthusiastic “yes!”) Introduce the Tea Consent video. Following the video explain to participants there are laws about who’s able to consent. If the person you’re with is… Drunk or high Asleep or passed out Below the legal age of consent or much younger than you Disabled in a way that affects their ability to understand you …then they cannot consent, and it’s not okay for you to do anything sexual with them Process Questions 1. What is “free and informed” consent? 2. What are some resources/support for individuals that may have been sexually coerced or assaulted?

Lesson 3: Sexual Identity & Orientation Duration: 45 minutes

LESSON GOALS Identify myths and facts surrounding sexual orientation Explain difference between sexual orientation and gender identity Discuss LGBTQ issues respectfully PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Review the Myths and Facts about Sexual Orientation Answer Key. Review participants handout: Myths and Facts about Sexual Orientation Sexual Identity Vocabulary List Sexual Identity word and deﬁnition cards Tape Anonymous Questions box

Activity: Visualization Explore characteristics of attraction Have the participants close their eyes or put their heads down for a guided visualization. Instruct them to think silently about the questions you are going to ask. Begin the visualization by stating that some of them might already have experienced liking someone in a romantic way, and some of them might not have had that experience yet. Ask participants to think of someone they’ve been attracted to or had a crush on. If the participants haven’t been attracted to someone before, they can think of an example of a romantic couple that they know. Give them a moment, and then ask them to silently reﬂect on the following questions: How do you feel when you like a person romantically? Do you have any physical reactions? What are they? How is having a crush on a person different from just being friends? How do media portray how people act when they are attracted to each other? If you weren’t attracted to a particular person, would there be any way you could make yourself feel attracted to that person? Have participants bring their attention back to the classroom. Process Questions 1. How do you know if you’re attracted to someone versus being just friends? 2. Do you think media portrayals of attraction reﬂect real life? 3. Do you think you can choose whom you’re attracted to?

Activity: Sexual Identity Vocabulary List

Define sexual identity Explain that participants will discuss sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is a term that refers to a person’s feelings of emotional, romantic or physical attraction to others. Everyone has a sexual orientation, which is one part of who we are as people. Explain that sometimes peoples can be confused about the right terms to use when talking about sexual orientation – for example, whether “gay” means the same as “homosexual.” To talk about sexual orientation in a respectful manner, it’s helpful to define different words for sexual orientation and gender identity. Post the words from Sexual Identity Vocabulary List on the board. Hand out the definitions to participants and ask them to tape their definitions under the correct vocabulary word. Correct placement as needed, and review words and definitions with the class in the order given in the vocabulary list. Process Questions 1. What was one thing you learned that was new to you? 2. Why is it important to define these words? (Answer: to avoid misuse and hurt feelings, to promote understanding.)

Activity: Myths and Facts About Sexual Orientation

Explore myths about sexual identity Brainstorm a list of things that some people think about 11-14-year-olds that aren't true. Examples might include, “They act crazy,” “They can’t focus,” “They’re only interested in playing video games,” etc. List examples on the board as participants volunteer them. Explain that these are myths. A myth is a false belief many people mistakenly hold as true. Ask why myths are created. Explain that one reason people create myths is to attempt to understand something they don’t know about or can’t control. One way to dispel myths is to get the facts. Remind participants about the Class Rights & Responsibilities around being respected and respecting others without making assumptions. Distribute the Myths and Facts About Sexual Orientation handout, and give participants several minutes to respond. Be sure to review correct answers. Process Questions 1. What was one thing you learned that was new to you? 2. Raise your hand if you’ve ever been judged based on false beliefs. Name the feelings you had when that happened. 3. Why might people want to keep believing in myths? (Answer: Makes them feel powerful and in control, keeps them from feeling threatened by things they don’t understand.) 4. How are myths harmful? (Answer: they perpetuate stereotypes that aren’t true, set up situations where bullying and harassment can develop.) 5. How do you think people might feel when they are misjudged with regard to their gender identity or sexual orientation? Why?

Lesson 4: Comprehensive Protection Methods Duration: 60 minutes

LESSON GOALS Name two ways to protect against pregnancy and STIs. Demonstrate knowledge of at least one form of contraception, including how to access it. Evaluate reasons people use or don’t use condoms and discuss consequences. PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Review protection methods chart Obtain birth control kit to use while covering methods Review participant handouts Steps to Correct Condom Use Anonymous Questions Box

Activity: The Need for Protection

Reinforce abstinence as the best choice Reinforce the message that abstinence is the healthiest choice for teens. Quickly review some points on how teens can advocate for abstinence in their own lives. Explain that in the future, many of them may choose to become sexually active. Ask participants the following questions: What questions should people ask themselves before they decide to have vaginal, anal or oral sex? (Do I have information about and access to methods that can protect me from getting pregnant or getting someone else pregnant? Do I know how to protect myself from sexually transmitted infections? Am I emotionally ready to have sex?) Why is it important for people to protect themselves during sexual intercourse? (Unplanned pregnancy, STI transmission.)

Activity: Protection Methods Kit

Review samples of protection methods Show samples from the Protection Methods Kit to participants as you introduce each method and pass samples around the class so participants can see and handle them. In addition to showing samples, review facts and places where these methods can be obtained: Abstinence Male Condom (external condom) Female Condom (internal condom) Dental Dam Emergency Contraception (morning-after pill) Birth control pills (the pill)

The shot The patch The ring Implant IUD

Explain how protection methods are rated by their effectiveness against unplanned pregnancy. If a protection method is 98% effective, this means that out of 100 people using that method, two got pregnant with a year of use. Emphasize that using dual protection methods can give a much higher effectiveness rate and better protection from STI transmission and unplanned pregnancy. For example, if an external/male condom is used, it will help reduce the risk of both STIs and pregnancy. If it is used in conjunction with a hormonal method, such as the patch, then if the condom fails for any reason, the hormonal method will still help prevent an unplanned pregnancy (but not an STI).

Activity: Demonstrate condom use

(Note: you may wish to conduct the condom demonstration when you introduce the male condom during the Protection Methods review.) *Discuss why we focus on the penis- I.e Pregnancy prevention (Thoughts on how to phrase) Explain that using condoms correctly raises the effectiveness rate and lowers the chances the condom will fail. Review the steps to correct condom use: 1. Discuss with a partner the decision to have sex. 2. Discuss protection methods with partner, 3. Check the expiration date on a condom. 4. Check the package of the condom for holes, tears, or any sign of damage. 5. Carefully open the condom package and remove the condom. 6. The penis is erect. 7. Place condom on the head of the penis. 8. Hold the tip of the condom to squeeze out any air. 9. Roll the condom down to cover the entire penis. 10. Use lubricant. 11. Have vaginal, oral or anal sex. 13. Keep condom on the penis until done (whether ejaculation occurs or not). 14. Hold onto the rim of the condom at the base of the penis. 15. Withdraw the penis. 16. Carefully take the condom off the penis. 17. Throw the condom in the garbage. 18. Use a new condom if both partners want to have sex again. Then demonstrate the steps with an actual condom and ask participants to explain the importance of each step. Conclude the demonstration by stressing that when condoms are used correctly by following these steps, the effectiveness rate will be closer to the 98% perfect-use ﬁgure. People should always use a new condom every time they have sex.

Distribute Steps to Correct Condom Use handout. Discuss places where teens can obtain protection methods for free or little cost. Explain that these services are conﬁdential and do not require parental permission Process Questions 1. What was one fact that surprised you from this activity? 2. What advice would you give your friend who was sexually active? 3. Where could people go for help if they were concerned about pregnancy or STIs? (List local resources)

Activity: What’s the Deal?

Explore obstacles to condom use. Recap that all of the protection methods listed above, the only ones besides abstinence that can help prevent both pregnancy and STI/HIV transmission are the external/male and internal/female condom when used consistently and correctly. Using the board, write “Reasons people use condoms” on one side and “Reasons people don’t use condoms” on the other. Ask participants to quickly brainstorm in pairs as many reasons as they can think of for each list. Ask them to offer their ideas and record them under the appropriate heading. Have participants read through the list under “Reasons people don’t use condoms.” Prompt participants to add that one reason people don’t use condoms is that they don’t hear examples of other people using condoms if this reason isn’t already on the list. On TV shows that show characters having sex, how often do they mention condoms? Are there some shows where characters never discuss protection? Stress that most teens are not having sex, but those who need to be able to discuss how to protect themselves, even without examples from the media.

Process Questions

1. How would you respond to some of the others reasons people don’t use condoms? 2. Are any reasons important enough to risk having to deal with pregnancy or STIs, including HIV? 3. What message could you give to other young people about condom use?

Optional Activity: Contraception Jeopardy Game There are four categories: Hormonal Methods Non-Hormonal Methods Condom Use Partner’s Role

Lesson 5: Intro to Sexually Transmitted Infections Duration: 45 minutes

LESSON GOALS List modes of transmission and most common STIs for teens. List behaviors that transmit STIs. Name the best ways to prevent STI transmission. Identify having multiple partners as a risk factor. PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Read over STI information Review STI Quiz Answer key Review participants handouts STI Quiz STI Chart Risk Behavior cards 3 wrapped condoms Tape SEL Skills poster STI Statistics signs Anonymous Questions box

Activity: Deﬁning STIs

Explain STDs and STIs Place STI statistics signs on the wall for visual reinforcement. Explain that you will discuss these more throughout the class. Emphasize that only abstinence will protect them from STIs 100% when practiced correctly and consistently. However, the information about STI transmission they will learn will help them make the healthiest choices about sexual activity, now and in the future. Explain that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that pass from an infected person to another during sexual or intimate contact. Some people use the term “STD” as well.

Activity: STI Quiz

Participants demonstrate STI knowledge Pass out the STI Quiz handout. If you have time, have participants take the quiz on the sheet and review the teaching points from the answer key. If time is short, just have participants raise their hands to show whether they think each statement is true or false. Use each statement to review or further explain each point, answering any questions that come up.

Process Questions 1. What was one thing you learned during this activity? 2. What advice might you give a friend who was sexually active? 3. Where could people go for help if they were concerned about taking risks that could lead to STIs? 4. Why is it important for someone your age to know this information? How does this relate to self-management? Social awareness? 5. Why do people use the term “clean” to mean “free of STIs”? How is this a myth? What is the danger of making assumptions?

Activity: STIs: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

Teach about different STIs Ask the class to name STIs they have heard of. Write these STIs on the board, grouping them by cause (bacterial, viral or other). Prompt participants until the list includes HIV and the most common STIs for teens: HPV, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and genital herpes. Ask participants if they know why the STIs are grouped into different categories. Explain that STIs have different causes, which means they also have different treatments. STIs that are caused by bacteria can *”generally” be cured with medicine. STIs caused by viruses cannot be cured, but they can be treated and the symptoms can be managed. Note that there is a vaccine that can prevent the most common types of HPV, an STI that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. It’s recommended for boys and girls starting at age 11 and 12. *Some forms of bacterial STIs are becoming drug resistant Ask participants to name some symptoms of STIs: wart, abnormal discharge, painful urination, etc. Stress that the most common symptom is to have no symptoms at all. Ask participants why an STI without symptoms could be even more dangerous than an STI with symptoms. (Answer: People may not seek treatment, may think everything is ﬁne.) Explain that even when they don’t cause symptoms, many STIs can cause serious internal damage. If they don’t get tested, people may not know the STI is hurting them. Explain that having one STI can make a person more vulnerable to catching others if exposed. One STI people are often concerned about is HIV. Ask participants what they know about HIV. Explain that early treatment for HIV can keep the virus from turning into AIDS. People with HIV often have no symptoms for years, but it’s very important to get tested so they can access appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible. Inform participants about quick and easy HIV test (oral swab or ﬁnger prick) that can show results in just 15 minutes. Explain modes of transmission.

Share the following information with participants. The main modes of transmission for STIs, including HIV: Exchange of sexual fluids (ejaculate, pre-ejaculate, and vaginal fluid) through unprotected oral, vaginal or anal intercourse. Exchange of blood through sharing needles (used for tattooing, piercing, or injecting drugs. Skin-to-skin contact, including oral-to-genital touching. Passage from an infected mother to baby. Discuss how to reduce risk of transmission Explain that while STIs are common, they are also easily preventable. Remind participants that abstinence, when practiced correctly and consistently, is the only 100% certain way to avoid the risks of Sti transmission. In order for abstinence to be effective, it must include two components: Keep blood, ejaculate, pre-ejaculate, and vaginal fluids from entering the body. Be aware that pre-ejaculate appears on the penis during an erection and can contain both sperm and STIs. Review other important ways to reduce the risk of STI transmission: Don’t touch sores or growths that are caused by STIs Avoid having multiple sexual partners. Having more than one sexual partner at a time greatly increases the risk of a person becoming infected with an STI, including HIV. If people choose to be sexually active, using condoms can reduce their risk by preventing transmission of fluids.

Activity: Sexual Behavior and Risk

Explain ways to reduce risks of sexual behavior Explain that while there are many positive things about engaging in sexual behaviors when a person is mature and ready, most sexual behaviors come with risk. Sometimes the risk is emotional, such as guilt or hurt feelings, and sometimes the risk is physical. Ask participants to name physical risks of sexual behavior (pregnancy, STIs). The next activity will address the risk levels of various behaviors. Put the High Risk, Some Risk, and Low to No Risk signs on the board. Move most of the behaviors to the side, and ask participants where they think the following behaviors belong in terms of their risk for pregnancy or STI transmission. Hugging Kissing Touching under clothes Having oral intercourse Asking someone on a date Masturbation Having vaginal intercourse Having anal intercourse

After placing the behavior cards, tape wrapped condoms onto the cards for oral, anal and vaginal intercourse. Ask participants what condom do to reduce the risk of pregnancy and STIs (Answer: Keep ﬂuids from being transmitted). Explain that for people who choose to engage in oral, anal or vaginal intercourse, one protection method will help prevent unplanned pregnancy AND STI transmission: the condom. Ask participants how the addition of the condom affects the risk level for sexual behavior (lowers the risk). Explain that when condoms are used correctly and consistently, they greatly reduce the risk of pregnancy and STIs. Move the behavior cards to new categories to reﬂect anal sex with a condom, vaginal sex with a condom, and oral sex with a condom or dental dam. Process Questions 1. What did you learn in this activity? 2. Why is it important for us to understand risk levels? 3. How does information about condoms change the way you think about risk?

Lesson 6: Decision Making & Role Play Duration: 60 minutes

LESSON GOALS Examine personal values and how they inform decision making. Discuss factors that go into decision making. PREPARATION & MATERIALS CHECKLIST Review Participants handouts Steps to a Decision How to Refuse and Be Respected Refusal Skills scenario cards Decision-making poster Decision-making scenario cards Anonymous Question Box

Activity: Decision-Making Activity

Introduce importance of decisions State that parents usually take of most decision making for their young children. Part of growing up, however, is getting the opportunity to make your own decisions. Learning how to make decisions can help young people deal with difficult situations and problems and follow through on their personal goals in ways that match their values. Explain that people have many different ways of making decisions. One good way to practice the steps to decision making is to look at real-life situations and go through a decision-making model. Ask participants if they have ever gone through a model in other classes or settings. Distribute Steps to a Decision handout and go over the steps of the decision-making model. Then, using the model, go through either the first example from the handout or a simple situation to review the steps (e.g., deciding not to skip school). After participants understand the steps, divide the class into pairs or small groups. Each group will be given a scenario that requires a decision to be made. They should discuss the case study, apply the decision-making model, and fill out the steps to the decision. Prompt participants to think of values and short-term goals that relate to the decision-making process. When it comes time for them to evaluate, ask them to consider the possible consequences of their decisions. Process Questions 1. Was it easy for your group to make a decision on your case study? Why or why not? 2. How might using drugs or alcohol affect the decision making in your scenario? (Answer: It might lead to unsafe decisions and difficult consequences – a person would not be able to think through the decision-making process clearly.) 3. How could you decide when to use the decision-making model in your life?

4. What can happen when you don’t give yourself time to think through important decisions? 5. Which parts of this model could you share to help someone else make a decision?

Activity: Role-plays

Review communication, refusal, and negotiation skills Tell participants that the rest of the training will be used to practice refusal and negotiation skills. Tell participants that unprotected sex is the most common way for STIs, including HIV, to be transmitted. Ask participants how STI transmission relates to communication and refusal skills. Explain that refusal skills are related to relationship skills (clear communication) and responsible decision making. Explain that it’s also important for people to use self-awareness to check in with their personal values and feelings about what is OK or not OK to do. Review How To Refuse and Be Respected handout. Clarify the point of the handout and answer any questions participants might have. Ask participants how the information on the handout relates to the idea of healthy communication. Practice and Perform Role-Plays Present the Refusal, Negotiation and Communication Skills Scenarios to participants. Read one of the scenarios and give participants 2 minutes to write down how they would deal with that situation. Break participants into pairs. Have them discuss their responses to the sample situation with each other and pick a response (or a combination of responses) to role-play. After a brief practice period, ask participants to perform their role-plays for each other. Assign additional Skills Scenarios to the partners, making sure that each pair does at least one Abstinence scenario and one Protection Methods scenario. Ask participants to pay special attention to assertive communication and clear body language as they practice their role-plays. Then have pairs read their scenarios and perform their role-plays from their seats. As each pair performs, discuss the process questions. Process Questions: For the actors 1. What was the most challenging to communication in the role-play? 2. What was something that didn’t come across as well as you wanted it to? 3. Which SEL skills did you use in the role-play? For the class 1. How do you think each character felt during the conversation in the scenario? Why? 2. How did their body language communicate their feelings? 3. Which ways to refuse appeared in this role-play? Which SEL skills were used? 4. What are the biggest challenges of this situation? 5. How can the characters overcome these challenges? How can SEL skills help them overcome these challenges? 6. What might you do differently in your life after seeing this role-play?