Sexpowerment - éducation à la vie relationnelle, sexuelle et affective avec une perspective interculturelle

The partners of the Empowerment project submitted their application for this project because we had identified the need to develop an innovative intercultural RSHEE (Relationships, Sexuality, and Emotional Education) approach, addressing the relational, sexual, and emotional dimensions in a comprehensive and positive way. The objective was to train youth professionals in this approach, so that they could pass it on to the young people they support. We recognize the need for professionals in the youth, education, and health sectors to have the necessary knowledge and skills to address the sensitive topics of sexual and emotional well-being with young people. Indeed, many people working with young people may not feel sufficiently equipped or confident to address these topics, which can lead to potential gaps in their education and support.

The aim of this transnational project was to develop an innovative, intercultural approach to Relationship and Sexuality education (RSE). The partners wanted to create a validated educational framework and diversified tools (guides, multimedia resources, etc.) that take a positive and global view of sexuality, going beyond simple risk prevention. To do this, we wanted to explore in depth with professionals in the field the challenges of carrying out RSE projects in a multicultural environment. We wanted young people to have access to a RSE that dared to make visible and name the ways in which different social affiliations can give rise to discrimination in the area of intimacy and sexuality. We also wanted to create educational tools to help overcome or work on such discrimination, as well as stereotypes and prejudices in the area of intimacy. We also wanted to use radio as a creative and joyful teaching strategy to address these sensitive issues. Finally, we wanted to train RSE professionals and volunteers in how to integrate a critical intercultural approach into their work.

We carried out exploratory research, through expert interviews and focus groups with young people and professionals, to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced. To share what we've learned, we've held round tables, produced a guide and podcasts covering a wide range of topics, including consent, healthy relationships, gender identity and sexual orientation. We have developed teaching resources: a manual for working on stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination in the field of intimacy and sexuality, a toolbox of radio features to make EVAS more inclusive and stimulating, and finally a training course for integrating a critical interculturality approach into EVAS. These resources were tested with young people and/or youth professionals in order to gather feedback and refine the content and form, etc. The project also carried out dissemination activities throughout. In total, 10 local dissemination events were carried out by the whole partnership. In addition, a final dissemination event was organised in Paris in June 2024, attended by all the partners, to close the project.

The project achieved four main results. A first outcome explored the challenges of RSE in an intercultural context. We organised 5 national round tables with experts in each of our partner countries, creating a series of national podcasts of the various interviews, and writing an international guide to these issues. We created a manual on stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination linked to sexuality and a toolbox on the use of radio for an inclusive and entertaining RSE. The activities in the manual were tested with 188 young people and 127 professionals in pilot workshops. The workshops on the radio toolbox reached 234 young people. On the whole, the young people felt comfortable talking about subjects relating to their emotional and sexual lives. They also found the pace of the workshop well-balanced, neither too long nor too short, which enabled them to create their own podcast. The collective moments linked to the radio are some of their favourite moments. Our final result is a training course for youth workers entitled ‘Sexuality and interculturality through forum theatre and radio’, which incorporates activities to help them understand cultural diversity in the area of sexuality, tested with 120 professionals.