Open Book Project is building a collective of sexuality educators in homes and classrooms across Australia.
THE PROBLEM: Teaching Sexuality Education is important but complicated.
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There is a lot to cover and schools are a busy place
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Talking about sexuality in a classroom can be uncomfortable for students, teachers, and parents.
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Without proper training, educators may bring their personal values to lessons.
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Educators are uncertain of what needs to be taught to different age groups and what language to use.
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Parents are nervous and want to know exactly what will be taught and when.
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Sexuality education has traditionally taken a risk prevention approach, focussing on pregnancy and STI prevention
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We live in a world where education needs to cover healthy relationships, gender, pleasure, and consent.
Open Book Project understands that many parents and educators struggle with talking about relationships and sexuality.
We also know from our work in schools the difficulties of providing relationships and sexuality education that is ongoing and respects the lives and values of the school community.
It can be stressful when you don’t know what to say or teach and it's often easier to just avoid it or stick with the 'safe' topics around risk prevention and respectful relationships.
We’ve studied this problem for many years from a whole range of perspectives and want to be part of THE SOLUTION!
We help parents and educators to:
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Explore the origins of their own values about relationships and sexuality
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Create shame-free environments that value safety, pleasure, and respect
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Foster inclusion and apply a social justice lens
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Unntangle your own feelings about sexuality to find the courage to talk more openly
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Be a louder voice than the internet and pornography by being the go-to person for relationships and sexuality information
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Mainstream relationships and sexuality education in alignment with the Australian Curriculum
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Deliver lessons that are trauma-informed, age-appropriate, and anti-oppressive
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Raise sexually safe and healthy children!
This is why Clinical Sexologist Kerrin founded Open Book Project- to work with parents and educators to build a collective of sexuality educators in homes and classrooms around Australia.
In person education
We love education and while learning online is a great way to go, nothing beats meeting you all in person.
Visiting schools to work directly with students, providing professional development, and co-delivering education to help build educators skills and confidence with tricky topics really makes our day.
Open Book Project also delivers a range of parent/carer forums and family education sessions at low cost to give back to the community and help schools fundraise.
*Open Book Project has a COVID safe plan for in person events.
Online Education
At Open Book Project we know people are busy. Whether you are a parent, an established educator, a new graduate, (or even all of the above) the days never seem quite long enough and when the bell rings the work isn't over.
That's why we've created a range of online offerings that you can access at a time that's easiest for you. With free videos, paid courses, and one on one support, there is something for everyone
Whether its tips and tricks you need or in-depth explanations, you'll find a course that's right for you. If you want to gain the confidence to be an open book when it comes to relationships and sexuality education you will find a course that's right for you at Open Book Project.
Mentoring
Whether you are new to sexuality education or are an established educator, mentoring is a great way to learn new strategies for emerging issues and to critically reflect on your perspectives.
At Open Book Project we off 1:1 and group mentoring sessions. Our mentoring is tailored to challenge you to see things differently; unpack and evaluate case studies, debrief and decompress in a confidential space, access new resources and lesson plans, review cutting edge research, and get advice on adapting to diversity and challenging assumptions.
Hi, I'm Kerrin Bradfield
I believe that with the right support, parents, caregivers, and educators can provide quality sexuality education.
As a parent, clinical sexologist, and accredited sexuality educator with several decades experience I've just about seen and heard it all. I know how hard it can be to talk about relationships and sexuality and sometimes it feels like those conversations are in conflict with your family or school values. They don't have to be!
Are you ready to join a growing collective of open book
parents and educators?
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