Streetwise spent the last week delivering essential informal education at Leeds Jewish Free School (LJFS), Brodetsky Primary School and The Zone, all part of the Henry Cohen Campus; the campus is a youth hub that sees young people from the age of 5 and all the way to 18, enabling brilliant interactions, and offering the opportunity to socialise and learn together. The trip was the first in-person visit Streetwise has made to LJFS since 2018, so it was great to return to deliver sessions to the young people in the Community.
The week started with the team delivering sessions to School Years 7-11, including topics such as Myths and Facts about Sexual Health, Consent and Boundaries, and Personal Safety. These sessions encouraged great discussions and questions that reflected how well the students engaged with the lessons. After the day of learning, Streetwise spent Monday evening continuing conversations with the young people in the informal setting of The Zone.
The Tuesday at LJFS had a similar set up, with sessions on Friendships and Peer Pressure, STIs and Contraception, Myths and Facts about Sexual Health, and Antisemitism Education workshops. Antisemitism education is particularly important and the workshops aim to give young people the skills and tools necessary to identify and report Antisemitic incidents on-and offline. They go hand in hand with the Streetwise Personal Safety sessions, which highlight the importance of street awareness in a broad range of practical scenarios. It was great to see how the students linked their answers to the information attained the day prior, and to see the continuity of learning. After school, the team enjoyed a second day of community engagement at The Zone.
On day three, Streetwise focused on delivering Anti-Bullying sessions for each year group. These sessions engaged with the students’ critical thinking skills, as they learnt about the equality act in relation to bullying as well as how to respond to and deal with bullying.
A teacher from LJFS reflected on the sessions “Streetwise are well connected to the reality of teenagers today. They were relatable and showed the students respect. It was positive for the students to have this opportunity and space.”
On Thursday Streetwise concluded its northern tour at Brodetsky Primary School delivering Online Safety to all school years, from reception to Year 6. The children learned about the S.M.A.R.T. rules, an acronym to remind them how to engage safely on the internet. They also designed Online Safety posters, learned how to report cyber-bullying and other behaviour that makes them uncomfortable, and who to go to for help. This session will soon be followed by a Parent/Guardian session taking place on Zoom.
The Year 3 teacher at Brodetsky shared: “The session was very informative, and children were engaged throughout. They were able to articulate what they had learnt and follow along with the age-appropriate presentation and scenarios.”
The team are looking forward to future sessions in Leeds and other cities in the North of England.
Comments