Schools

Our Family Life Education services have been designed to support Catholic schools and community groups (including parishes) throughout Perth in the provision of sexuality and relationship education for young people. Our Family Life Educators have extensive experience and are appropriately qualified and trained for working with students in these areas.

For more information, or to book, our office can be contacted via email education.clmf@perthcatholic.org.au or on (08) 9278 0253 (Tues-Thurs).

Please click on individual workshops (below) for more information and how they connect with the CEWA Curriculum for Religious Education and Health. 

The Centre for Life, Marriage and Family has worked with over 55 primary and 25 secondary schools across Perth. A number of standard programs offered to schools are listed below.

Please click on individual programs for more information about the aims and objectives of these programs and how they connect with the WA Catholic Education Curriculum content.

► YEAR 5 – I AM NATURE’S GREATEST MIRACLE
Separate workshop for Girls and Boys | 90 min
Curriculum Connection | Unit 5.5 – Prayer

Single sex groups

Presentation time: 90 min

These student-centred workshops gently introduce change at puberty.

Students are encouraged to embrace their uniqueness and the beauty of the changes that are occurring within them from pre-birth to adulthood. They are also encouraged to appreciate God’s gift of sexuality and to keep their bodies and minds healthy.

As the girls are introduced to the menstrual cycle and managing periods, the boys explore the kind of man they want to be. They are encouraged to speak to their parents about the workshop and to listen to their advice.

Supplementary activity worksheets are provided for each group to review the concepts discussed.

For bookings contact Chris Fernandez on (08) 9278 0253 or email: education.clmf@perthcatholic.org.au

 

► YEAR 6 – BECOMING A MAN/BECOMING A WOMAN
Separate Workshops for Girls and Boys | 90 min
Curriculum Connection | Unit 6.7 – Growing as God Wants: Human Sexuality

Single sex groups

Presentation time: 90 min

Building on the year 5 workshops, students connect with their own story of life before birth and explore the hormonal changes that create both physical and emotional development. They are introduced to the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, how to manage change and how to care for themselves physically and emotionally.

Students are encouraged to form healthy friendships and to take care of the precious gift of self. They are also encouraged to keep the lines of communication open with their parents through this time of change.

Supplementary activity worksheets and body awareness charts are provided to review concepts discussed.

For bookings contact Chris Fernandez on (08) 9278 0253 or email: education.clmf@perthcatholic.org.au

 

► YEARS 5-7 – PARENT EVENINGS
Workshops 90 min

Presentation time: 90 min

We offer Parent Information Evenings, it’s an opportunity for them to preview the presentation their children will receive at school. It gives parents first-hand experience of the information that is appropriate at each year level, the language we use and the Catholic teaching that underpins each presentation. There is a forum to discuss any issues or questions parents may have regarding their children’s sexuality education. Information regarding resources is provided to assist them as they continue their child’s education at home and work to create a nurturing family environment through the teenage years.

For bookings contact Chris Fernandez on (08) 9278 0253 or email: education.clmf@perthcatholic.org.au

 

► YEARS 7-8 – THE JOURNEY

Curriculum connection: Created Individually by God and Freed to Live like Jesus

Working time: 2 periods; separate workshops for boys and girls

The inner and outer world of a child changes completely as they enter high school. They face new challenges, feelings and awareness of their developing sexuality. During this transition phase to maturity and independence there are many questions and concerns. Students need to know why things are changing, that they are okay and that they are not alone. This workshop builds on our personal development programs in year five and six providing continuity of care for students.

  • Draws on the experiences of the students and their understanding about themselves and the person they are becoming
  • Summarises hormonal and physical changes leading to an exploration of feelings and behaviour
  • Students learn appropriate ways to deal with their feelings particularly anger and sexual feelings
  • Students learn how to nurture self, understand brain development and it’s effect on decision making
  • Emphasises the importance of building healthy friendships, being the “boss of our body,” making good choices and staying connected with parents for love, guidance and support

 

► YEARS 9-11 – BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Interactive Presentation

The Building Healthy Relationships workshop is an interactive presentation that explores the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are required to establish and maintain relationships through the teen years and into the future utilising slide shows, discussions, role play and activities.

  • Communicating deepest needs, dignity and self-worth.
  • Developing more deeply satisfying relationships by exploring the five languages of love.
  • Connections within the family, focussing on our contribution and negotiation skills.
  • Friends, boyfriends and girlfriends; we explore the truth about real love.
  • Being alert to the warning signs in relationships and making good choices for the future.

 

► YEARS 9 OR 10 – THE GIFT OF OUR SEXUALITY

Factors affecting our sexuality including STIs

Curriculum connection: Christian Love and Sexuality

This program is presented in two parts exploring three main areas:

  • Adolescence is a time of change, challenge and growth
  • The gift of sexuality, and
  • Developing a healthy sexuality.

Part 1: The workshop begins with Catholic Church teaching regarding sexuality and a brief overview of male and female fertility- a crucial component of sexuality. Students gain a greater understanding of how their fertility works and the factors that can affect their fertility. Students will have the knowledge to develop a healthy sexuality and make healthier choices for themselves and their relationships.

Part 2: An overview of one of the most powerful factors that can affect fertility – Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s). The 3 categories of STIs, how they are contracted, symptoms, treatment, how to prevent STI’s, rights and responsibilities in relationships are all explored.

 

► YEARS 10 OR 12 – MARRIAGE: A LIFE LONG LOVING RELATIONSHIP

Curriculum connection:

  • Year 10 – Vocation: Called to Be and Become II
  • Year 12 – Sacraments of Service and the Mission of the Church

Marriage is good for us and ideally lasts for a lifetime! An attractive alternative to living together. This workshop utilises PowerPoint, DVD, up-to-date statistics, small group activities and class discussion to explore the secrets of successful marriages.

Students are encouraged to start their preparation now by being the best person that they can be, work on their strengths; giving to others as a single person… an important stepping stone to the marriage vocation in the future.

  • What does a healthy marriage look like?
  • The covenant of marriage.
  • Keeping love alive in a marriage relationship.
  • Making the best choice in a marriage partner.

 

► YEAR 11 – OUR LIFE BEFORE BIRTH AND LIFE ISSUES

Curriculum connection: Conscience, Morality and Ethics

A powerful presentation of our development before we are born. This workshop utilises stories, visualisation, DVD and baby models. Students make a personal connection to the topic.

  • Understanding the sanctity of new life, the miracle of our development and birth with some amazing stories of survival
  • Exploration of crisis pregnancy; choices, the consequences and impact of these choices
  • Guidance and support that can to be found in Catholic organisations such as Pregnancy Assistance Inc.
  • How the church cares about each one of us and will not turn away in times of trouble and confusion.

“The human being is always unique and unrepeatable, somebody thought of and chosen from eternity, someone called and identified by their own name.

A human being lives, works, creates, suffers, fights, loves, hates, doubts, falls, and recovers in fellowship with others.”

Pope Saint John Paul II (Fides et Ratio)

Guiding Principles for our Program Design and Development

 

Catholic Marriage and Fertility Services adhere to a number of core principles with regard to the development and design of all our programs.

Primarily, all programs are developed in keeping with the four core principles for sexual and reproductive health education as outlined in the “Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality” of by the Pontifical Council of the Family. Those being:

  1. Each child is unique and should be formed individually.
  2. The moral dimension should always be included in explanations.
  3. Formation in chastity and timely information about sexuality must be provided in the broadest possible context of education for love. It cannot be fitted neatly into a single curriculum area.
  4. Information should be provided clearly and at a time appropriate for the individual child.

Consequently, through our programs, information on sexuality and fertility is given to young people incrementally over a period of time. The ideal situation being that schools will have our staff coming to speak to students in different settings and in different year groups. This way, over time, we can gradually building on a students’ knowledge base and at the same time allow for the diversity of social, emotional and physical development of the young people in any particular classroom.

We discourage full day programs; giving young people “everything they need to know” in one go. Inevitably, some young people will not be ready to hear some of the content, and when presented with information overload, many young people either switch off or forget a lot of the content they receive. This focus is also based on the sound educational principle that a little received regularly will do more for the formation of young people in this area than trying to achieve a lot infrequently.

We ensure that all programs include the moral dimension in explanations and we ensure that sexuality and fertility education is offered in the context of the Church’s teaching about love and the sacrament of marriage.

We ensure that all programs are presented in a way that is designed to connect meaningfully with the individual and their life experience. Scope is provided in our programs for sensitivity to individual needs. This is achieved by including activities and space for students to reflect on and explore the content being provided as it relates to their individual situation.

In recent years, some excellent DVD and online resources have been developed to assist in teachers in providing sexual and reproductive health information. While making the most of these resources our agency discourages an over reliance on these programs. Providing a service that is appropriate to the individual child and sensitive to their unique formation means allowing and encouraging rich dialogue on the content of the presentations; a willingness to answer individual questions and engage in meaningful conversations with students. To assist in this we insist on certain limits to the size of classes as opposed to presenting content to whole year groups.

The agency ensures that all presenting staff have appropriate training in related fields such as education, counselling and nursing. Ongoing professional development in the area of sexual and reproductive health and relationships as well as the Churches moral and ethical teaching as it relates to these areas is a requirement of all staff members.