Learning important life skills to navigate the modern world

The primary focus is to prevent gender-based violence by using the education system as a catalyst for generational change. It aims to create a culture of equality and respect within our School which then filters out into the wider community so that we can all live in a society free from gender-based violence where everyone feels safe, respected and included.

At Peninsula Grammar, we strongly believe that respect should underpin everything we do at our School and every interaction we have with one another. CRRE is about modelling the behaviours and values we want to encourage in our students. This includes modelling respect, consent, good communication, gender equality, anti-discrimination and inclusiveness. All of us can play our part by modelling these behaviours and challenging harmful narratives and stereotypes that might in any way limit our students’ life trajectory.

There is now a very strong international evidence base to show that when we provide broad based CRRE to young people we increase their wellbeing and happiness and their capacity to have great relationships. Research has demonstrated that school-based prevention initiatives can reduce the likelihood that students will go on to experience or perpetrate violence in the future.

This is why this curriculum is so important, so powerful and well worth investing in. It doesn’t just make girls and women safer; it also makes boys and men safer by freeing them up to live a life without the need to adhere to the strict norms imposed by limiting notions of masculinity.

The cultural conversation in Australian society around issues such as respect, consent and gender equality has markedly shifted in recent years. Our young people are driving these conversations. At Peninsula Grammar our students are given agency in this space by co-designing workshops, leading initiatives and being the change they want to see.

Our Year 10 students are working with a local women’s shelter, Moonah House, which is in the process of being established here on the Mornington Peninsula. This is one way they can direct their energy and passion into making positive change in our community.

Peninsula Grammar is committed to the notion that all students deserve to feel safe and equal at school. To ensure this, we created a stand-alone role of Head of Respectful Relationships. In essence this role is threefold: to educate, advocate for, and empower students.

This acknowledges our deep desire to reach further with our CRRE program by recognising it as a human rights initiative which not only helps build healthy relationships, but resilience and confidence in our students. By sending a message to each child that they matter, that they are valued and that they get to decide their own self-worth, we believe this curriculum will go a long way towards helping every child achieve their full potential throughout their life.

• Body awareness and sexuality education.
• Child abuse prevention.
• Consent – the law, how to ask for consent and how to give consent.
• What is the difference between sexual assault and sexual harassment.
• Bystander intervention.
• Cyber safety, image-based abuse, sexting and sextortion.
• How to protect your data and your digital reputation.
• How porn culture is impacting young people.
• Gender equality.
• Anti-bullying measures – assertiveness and resilience.
• Notions of masculinity and manhood in Australia.
• Gender identity and expression – LGBTQ+ young people.
• Sexism and misogyny.
• How to combat racism.