Outreach and educational services for Sunderland

Sunderland City Council has commissioned Brook to deliver outreach and educational services across Sunderland for young people aged 11-18. These services will promote healthy relationships and an understanding of acceptable behaviours and attitudes in relation to relationships and sexual health, alongside pregnancy choices.

RSE Group Sessions

Brook will deliver targeted relationship and sex education (RSE) group sessions to young people in a range of settings including PRUs.

Sessions can be a vital resilience building experience for young people, supporting them to develop the skills needed to establish a positive social element in their lives, and to equip them for building safe and healthy relationships with others in the future.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

• Consent
• Sexual Health Awareness
• Condoms and Contraception
• Sex and the Law
• Healthy Relationships
• Online and Digital Lives
• Challenging Gender Expectations
• Pregnancy and Parenting Choices

All sessions aim to support the development of the social, emotional and interpersonal skills needed for healthy relationships and challenging negative attitudes and behaviours.

One-to-one Sessions

Brook will deliver tailored one-to-one sessions for vulnerable young people who are identified as most at risk of poor sexual health and relationships outcomes.

Targeted Sessions for boys and young men

Brook deliver tailored one-to-one sessions for vulnerable boys and young men who are identified as most at risk of poor sexual health and relationships outcomes, including abusive relationships, early indicators of abusive behaviour (pre-perpetrator behaviours) and those with multiple, complex needs such as Looked After Children.

Our programmes have been developed to reduce risk-taking behaviour by addressing relationships, attitudes and values, consent, protective behaviours and self-esteem. Designed for each young person, as part of the programme, we can explore key topics of consent, unhealthy relationships, gendered expectations, gender inequalities, power imbalances alongside supporting the development of social and emotional interpersonal skills, sexual health knowledge and awareness and identifying support networks.

Targeted Sessions for girls and young women

Brook provides a targeted one-to-one service for girls and young women who are identified as vulnerable or have been engaging in risk taking behaviours in the context of sex and relationship. Our programmes have been developed to reduce risk-taking behaviour by addressing relationships, attitudes and values, consent, protective behaviours and self-esteem and supports young people to make informed choices.

Each programme is designed to meet the needs of each young person but can cover topics such as consent, healthy relationships, and power within relationships such as risk of sexual coercion, abuse and gender-based violence. We can explore pregnancy and parenting choices and provide an increased knowledge of sexual health and contraception. This programme can help to increase self-esteem and raise aspirations and build emotional resilience.

Testimonies

These testimonies have been anonymised for confidentiality.

The work that you have conducted thus far has been nothing short of miraculous where [the young person] has not only opened up to you, but to the acknowledgement that he does need support with his mental health and is prepared to accept help. Thank you so much for this.

Sunderland Secondary School teacher

He never talks to anyone or shows enthusiasm for anything, the fact he knows your name and asks when you are coming each week speaks volumes.

Sunderland Secondary School teacher

I really like coming to see you and talk about new things.

Young person

It’s good that you listen to me and don’t do my head in.

Young person

This has been a supportive service, you’re supportive, I can listen to you.

Young person

The young person doesn’t always engage with agencies, but he has arrived on time every session, I’m really pleased with how its going.

Sunderland Secondary School teacher

I found it easier talking to someone on a phone than face to face.

Young person

 It’s been good, I wish we could do it for longer.

Young person

The class have engaged really well, they were all answering and asking questions.

Sunderland college tutor

It’s good that we can ask anything.

Young person

Outcomes and lasting benefits

The young person was able to gain a greater understanding of appropriate behaviour in both public and private areas and the importance of consent in regards to appropriate touching of people and personal boundaries. This has been extremely positive for the young person as there have been no occurring incidents within school.

The young person was able to identify positive role models and people who were part of his support network and recognise valuable qualities in friends and partnerships. The young person was beginning to acknowledge that you do not need a partner in order to feel valued.

The young person gained a greater understanding of internet safety and can now differentiate between a ‘real friend’ and an ‘internet friend’.

We would love to hear from you to discuss how Brook can support you and your young people.

Get in touch with us at sunderlandeducation@brook.org.uk or joanne.henderson@brook.org.uk.