Streetwise

Streetwise is a programme that enables young people to discuss sexual bullying, exploitation and grooming behaviours, and educates young people around healthy and unhealthy relationships, including sexual relationships. The programme is delivered through a number of workshops and utilises a range of different methods. Through the use of discussions, group work, new media and creative sessions, the young people involved explore sexual bullying, sexual exploitation, grooming, healthy relationships, being safe and what it is to be “streetwise”.

As with all Beatbullying programmes, Streetwise utilises peer mentoring, but with a particular focus on sexual bullying and healthy relationships.  It seeks to raise awareness and educate young people, allowing them to make healthy decisions about their lives, empowering them to be able to handle themselves and situations in an effective manner consequently helping the lives of others.

During the workshops we explore campaigning skills and the group will then use those skills to create a campaign, which we then help them to roll out into their communities. All the materials act as useful resource for young people and professionals working to address the issue of sexual bullying.

Streetwise is designed to meet a range of government agendas, and builds on and complements existing sustainable SRE or PSHE work being done in schools.  It offers a safe, non-authoritarian and non-judgemental environment where young people can discuss their experiences and opinions on sensitive issues and the influences (media, peer pressure) exerted on them.

In sum, the programme aims to:

• Understand the experiences of young people in regards to sexual bullying, and discover the key issues and concerns around relationships
• Explore how Streetwise can enable young people to discuss sensitive issues, and increase their knowledge and understanding of the issue
• Provide young people with the skills and confidence to challenge behaviours
• Enable young people to create potential solutions and strategies for dealing with situations, both helping to keep themselves safe, and others too.

Look at the outputs from the programme >>

Some definitions of sexual bullying as described by the young people we work with:

“When boys try to force you into doing sexual things”

“People just constantly made rumours, some people tried to get something [from] me”

“They walked around touching your bum even when you tell them stop”

Watch the Camden Streetwise video >>