Consent Campaign Guidebook
The Consent Campaign guidebook is a tool for middle and high school educators and students. There are lesson plans for 7th/8th grade audiences and 9th/10th that address the core concepts of consent through a health promotion framework. The guidebook also includes strategies for moving the education out of the classroom and into a full school campaign. The materials use approaches that are considered best practice prevention methods, work across the social ecology and are grounded in health education standards.
This tool was designed to encourage schools to mount educational campaigns that go beyond the classroom.
This resource can help prevention practitioners design and launch their own Consent Campaign. Sexual violence prevention educators know that when youth have access to age appropriate information on sexuality and the opportunity to talk to safe adults, they are more likely to:
- make healthy sexual decisions,
- increase communication skills,
- develop respect for boundaries and differences, and
- know what to do if they or someone they know has been assaulted or abused.
Youth are therefore less likely to become perpetrators of sexual violence, more likely to be active bystanders and address violence when they see it and more likely to seek support if they are victimized.
Impact: “The Consent Campaign has been a hit with Vermont youth. How the information is presented resonates with them and expands their learning. It is a great substitute for 'increasing refusal skills' based education. We have done pre and post tests with participants and been able to measure a dramatic increase in understanding of what constitutes consent.”
Note that the laws referenced within are Vermont specific.
Training/Expertise: An understanding of the dynamics of power and control in teen relationships is helpful.
Capacity: Materials are designed to meet schools needs for classroom support and also support them in creating a school community-based campaign that engages youth.
Cost: Little or no funding required.
