Mandatory consent education is a good first step, now we need to make sure it’s delivered well
YFS welcomes the news that consent education will be added to the curriculum in all Australian schools from next year.
YFS’ R4Respect Coordinator Rachael Pascua said, “We welcome the news of a unified national approach to make consent education mandatory. Now, we must ensure this is delivered by professionals who are qualified, culturally competent and trauma-informed.”
YFS has been running the award-winning R4Respect and Men4Respect education programs in Queensland for more than five years. Run by young people, for young people, these programs help young people understand consent and what is okay and what crosses the line into unhealthy or abusive behaviour including in personal or intimate relationships. The programs have reached more than 670,000 young people online, more than 5,000 through education workshops and more than 14,000 through community events with positive messages of respect.
Rachael said, “It’s vital that children and young people learn about healthy relationships, consent and power and control. For years we have been calling on governments to do more to fund and implement mandatory, quality consent education, we are delighted to see this will finally happen.”
Find out more about the R4Respect and Men4Respect programs.