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AGENDA

Promoting positive relationships in schools and communities

AGENDA and Primary Agenda are free online toolkits to help explore ideas around equality and diversity with children and young people.

They offer creative age-appropriate ways to:

  • empower children to explore and express what matters to them
  • support young people’s right to speak out and engage as active citizens with issues they care about
  • safely and creatively challenge gender inequalities and oppressive gender norms.

The AGENDA packs are based on principles of equality, inclusivity, children’s rights and social justice. They tackle the causes and consequences of violence against girls and women, homophobia and transphobia.

Both toolkits can be used to support the delivery of relationships and sexuality education and are available in English and Welsh.

Background to AGENDA

In 2015, when the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act was passed, the Welsh Government worked with Welsh Women’s Aid to publish guidance for education practitioners on how to promote gender wellbeing and gender equalities for respectful relationships (Welsh Government, 2015).

A key part of this practitioner guidance encourages young people to actively start up or get involved in local and global campaigns to stop gender-based and sexual violence in their schools and communities.

AGENDA was developed to give young people (aged 11-18) the tools and guidance to explore these ideas, run campaigns and raise awareness.

It was created in consultation with young people by Cardiff University, NSPCC, Welsh Women’s Aid, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales and the Welsh Government and published in 2016.

In 2019, we published Primary AGENDA to help practitioners empower younger children (aged 7-11) to make positive relationships matter in their schools and communities.

Primary (7-11)

Supporting children to make positive relationships matter

Primary AGENDA is a resource for educational practitioners who want to support children aged 7-11 to make positive relationships matter in their school and community.

Through starter activities and case studies, Primary AGENDA invites you to explore inclusive, creative and rights-based approaches to a range of issues including:

  • feelings and emotions
  • friendships and relationships
  • body image
  • consent
  • gender and sexuality equality and equity.

Primary AGENDA includes:

  • starter activities to help practitioners support children think about what matters to them, and what they would like to change
  • suggested ways for children to take action, including a range of cross-curricular examples from dance and movement (expressive arts) to digital storytelling (ICT)
  • case study examples of how schools have supported children to learn and raise awareness about issues that advance the building of respectful relationships
  • examples of how creative methods and pedagogy, such as storytelling, crafting, movement or music, enables practitioners to become more aware of what matters to children
  • further information about how to support children and young people to plan an awareness raising activity
  • annual awareness raising and remembrance dates dedicated to advancing rights, equalities and social justice around the world
  • links to organisations and websites for further information
  • a rights-respecting, whole-school approach to gender equality
  • ideas on how to create safe, confidential and supportive spaces.

Quotes

“This resource provides safe, creative and hugely EXCITING ways to help children understand, explore and express their opinions on a whole range of vital issues. We mustn’t underestimate the ability of younger children. I find children of primary school age to be passionate, creative, curious and with a huge sense of social justice. I can’t wait to share Primary AGENDA with primary schools in Wales!”

Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales

“It’s fantastic to see that there is now a ‘Primary AGENDA’ resource – the first ‘AGENDA’ resource has been hugely successful and has been used widely throughout Wales. This new resource will [support] teachers to provide comprehensive, relevant and inclusive RSE, under both the current and future curriculum arrangements.
“I am delighted to be supporting Primary AGENDA and would encourage all teachers and practitioners to use it to support and empower children to make positive relationships matter in all aspects of their lives from family, friends, community and the world.”

Kirsty Williams, Minister for Education, Welsh Government

Citation

Please cite as: Renold, E. (2019) Primary AGENDA: supporting children in making positive relationships matter. Cardiff: Cardiff University, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, NSPCC Cymru, Welsh Government, Welsh Women’s Aid.

Download the resources

Download the Primary AGENDA toolkit and resources in English (from the AGENDA website)

Download the Primary AGENDA toolkit and resources in Welsh (from the AGENDA website)

Secondary (11-18)

Supporting young people to raise awareness of gender inequalities, sexual harassment and violence

AGENDA has been designed so that 11- to 18-year-olds can explore the issues they are interested in at their own pace. It includes a wide range of activities, resources and links to further information.

AGENDA showcases the different ways in which young people in Wales and across the world have raised awareness of how gender-based and sexual violence impacts upon their lives and the lives of others.

Issues covered include:

AGENDA includes:

  • starter activities to help young people think about what matters to them, and what they would like to change
  • suggested ways to take action, including examples of social media campaigns, online petitions, creative and performing arts, fan activism, youth groups and research
  • case study examples of how young people in Wales have addressed everyday sexism and sexual harassment
  • advice about project planning, getting started with a project and how to deal with negative comments
  • annual awareness raising and remembered dates dedicated to addressing gender and sexual inequalities, discriminations and violence around the world
  • advice about staying safe and where to go to for support
  • the story behind AGENDA, who has supported the guide, and how it can be used.

Quotes

“We had no idea when we first started talking about what mattered to us, that we would end up making these amazing things – and things that opened people’s minds on what sexual harassment can really feel like.”

Participant in ‘Ruler Heart’, a visual arts project about sexual harassment

“I am really pleased that we have supported this guide for children and young people as well and I hope that it will encourage you to take action and do something creative to make positive changes that will benefit you. I am sure that this will be a major step towards our goal of ultimately eradicating violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.”

Carl Sargeant, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children

Citation

Please cite as: Renold, E. (2016) AGENDA: a young people’s guide to making positive relationships matter. Cardiff: Cardiff University, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, NSPCC Cymru, Welsh Government, Welsh Women’s Aid.

Download the resources

Download the AGENDA toolkit and resources in English (from the AGENDA website)

Download the AGENDA toolkit and resources in Welsh (from the AGENDA website)

References and resources

References and resources

Welsh Government (2015) Good practice guide: a whole education approach to violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence in Wales (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice, direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online.

You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Talk Relationships

Access our Talk Relationships service that supports people working in secondary education to overcome any challenges they may face when delivering sex and relationships education. Our package includes paid-for training, free age-appropriate lesson plans and a dedicated helpline.

Related NSPCC resources and services

Look at our other teaching resources and lesson plans that help children and young people learn about healthy relationships and staying safe.

We want to empower communities so that you feel confident and informed about safeguarding. That’s why we are partnering with organisations all over the UK to develop and run safeguarding campaigns in local areas.

> Learn more about how you can partner with us and develop initiatives for your community