An introduction to consent, boundaries, and understanding the importance of knowing when to say and to respect "no".
Learning outcome: Building an understanding of the girls individual boundaries as well as the importance of respecting social cues.
Materials:
Saying "No" Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ankeohFTerdUppPJdGAqRrHMLExfaFGONiC7Dwi0wBc/edit?usp=sharing
"Sometimes, Always, Never" and "Agree/Disagree" papers to hang around the https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rO44GKNBvDuSCiVs6vKUpeNXpnjHNgfQ1bLc1B65cx8/edit?usp=sharing
Project Run-Time: 1 Meeting
Step #1:
Using the presentation as a guide, start with a discussion about saying no. Ask the girls when they say no, If they think it can be hard to say no, and to share experiences if they're comfortable surrounding the topic.
Step #2:
Start the first activity. For this, you will need to hang up the "Strong Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strong Disagree" papers at four different parts of the classroom (linked above). When you get to the activity questions on the slide, ask the girls to consider each one individually and head to the sign they feel best describes their reaction to the question. Discuss as needed, allowing the girls to verbalize their thoughts on each question.
Make sure to reiterate that there are no wrong answers! Our opinions on these questions are personal and unique.
Go through the remainder of the questions in activity one doing the same thing, allowing the girls the opportunity to talk about each one and share their opinions if they so please.
Step #3:
Before beginning the second activity, give the girls an opportunity to approach and consider the second discussion question: "When should we say no?" Talk about it a little bit as a class before moving on to the second activity. For this second activity, you will need the "Always, sometimes, rarely, never" papers (linked above). The activity runs as the first, but the questions are slightly different. Once again, encourage the girls to talk about their perspectives and share their ideas for each question.
Step #4:
Finally, ask the girls to answer the final discussion question on the final slide: "I’m completely confident saying no if I don’t feel comfortable doing something." This is your tie up question, so use it as an opportunity to reflect on the other activities and questions the girls have been answering so far. Ultimately, we want to be able to be confident in stating our boundaries and saying no when we don't feel comfortable doing something. However, this isn't always the case. Talk about it! Why? What can we do to be better at standing up for ourselves? What have the girls learned about themselves and their peers in the process?