Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support chief executive Blair Gilbert. Photo / Emma Houpt
Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support chief executive Blair Gilbert. Photo / Emma Houpt
A decision to stop funding a programme teaching teens about consent and healthy relationships has been described as a "disservice to our young people" by a sexual harm support service leader.
The chief executive of Bay organisation Tautoko Mai said the move would "cut a key pillar" of sexual harm prevention at a time when it was "such a massive issue in young people's lives".
However, ACC, which funded the Mates and Dates programme, said it did not reach students equally and that the Ministry of Education would become the lead agency for consent education.
In a media release, ACC said the programme would end in December as the organisation "extended investment into consent and healthy relationships in a multifaceted, nationwide approach".
Mates and Dates aimed to provide secondary school students with skills and knowledge to prevent harm caused by sexual and dating violence.
It has been delivered to about 150,000 students in 433 schools nationwide for up to $6 million a year over the past seven years.
Tautoko Mai chief executive Blair Gilbert said his team ran it at all bar two secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty.
In his view: "If we cut these opportunities to have good quality meaningful conversations with young people about respectful relationships and consent then we are going to see an increase in harm to our young people."
The programme was also taught to teenagers at alternative education institutions and tailored for those with intellectual disabilities.
He understood there were "differences" in how the programme was delivered across the country but said it should be redesigned, not cut.
"What we are concerned about is [we believe] they are throwing it all out because it may not have reached some of the schools it should have. Our argument is that let's address that issue, rather than just cut it."
In his view, it was vital young people accessed sexual harm prevention education through external facilitators who had undertaken "rigorous training".
"We are doing a disservice to our young people when we don't give them the opportunity to learn about consent.
He said the programme debunked messaging about consent in pornography, teaching that it was not reality or what respectful relationships were about or should be built on.
Gilbert said teen rapist Jayden Meyer's home detention sentence after he was found guilty of sexual violence offences against five victims had sparked an "outcry" and people were "standing up saying sexual violence is not okay".
But he reiterated the importance of giving teenagers the education and tools to navigate consent and healthy relationships.
"We are not supporting development of our young people to find ways to communicate and understand this really concerning issue of sexual violence."
Tautoko Mai provided 24/7 support for victims of sexual harm in Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Ōtūmoetai College teacher in charge of health Kathryn Brewer said the programme was part of the school's sexuality education curriculum. She described the funding cut as "disappointing and frustrating".
"Consent education and healthy relationships are hugely important. We only have to look in the media currently and see how our young people are being impacted by not understanding consent," she said.
She said school counsellors were dealing with the repercussions of "unhealthy relationships and not consenting in relationships" and had noticed improvements since the Mates and Dates programme started.
Imagine Believe Achieve kaitohutohu (advisor or instructor) Paora Howe said he was not looking forward to the funding ending as the style of delivery and core messages had been "excellent".
The Tauranga-based programme aimed to help youth not in education, training or work.
"It's not something we can do and we need specialists to do it. It's made a difference for us as staff because they can touch on boundaries where we don't have that kind of expertise and knowledge."
Rotorua Girls' High School principal Sarah Davis said the programme provided "tools our girls can call on in a situation further down the line".
She said teachers could deliver a similar programme themselves, but having "experts on call" would result in better outcomes for students.
Rotorua Youth Centre Trust chief executive Jen Murray. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua Community Youth Centre Trust chief executive Jen Murray said consent was "a difficult subject" and trained facilitators were needed to tackle conversations about it.
The trust worked with Tautoko Mai and was the accredited Mates and Dates provider in Rotorua.
"What worries me the most is how are we going to ensure support for our young people to increase knowledge skills and within this area," she said.
"When young people access information on the internet - they think from that perspective without much critical thinking." The programme helped "break that cycle of harm".
In a media release, ACC said a high majority of students surveyed before and after Mates and Dates sessions reported improved attitudes around consent (88 per cent) and bystander intervention (94 per cent).
However, responses also showed it had been delivered in predominantly higher decile schools and engaged a "disproportionate number" of Pākehā students.
"We believe to achieve the necessary shift in attitudes and behaviour to prevent sexual violence, the opportunity to access and engage in healthy relationships kōrero needs to be available to all young people in Aotearoa."
The Ministry of Education had refreshed guidance around its relationship and sexual education resources to ensure this change, it said.
A revamp of its Health and Physical Education curriculum was due in 2024.
ACC deputy chief executive prevention and partnerships Tane Cassidy said the agency had signalled "for some time" that funding would end in December, with the Ministry of Education becoming the lead agency.
ACC would continue to be involved in preventing sexual and family violence through national strategy Te Aorerekura, he said.
"To achieve our actions and make a meaningful contribution, ACC is shifting its funding focus to a primary prevention systems approach.
"This means taking consent and healthy relationships education beyond the classroom to include the wider community and parents."
Ministry associate deputy secretary, curriculum, pathways and progress Pauline Cleaver said consent education was not mandated through the national curriculum, but schools were expected to use a relationship and sexuality education guide available.
Early next year it would release educator resources developed to help schools implement the guide, some with a "specific focus on consent".
Regional hui were being planned for teachers in term 4 and throughout 2023 to build confidence in delivering this education, she said.
She said the ministry believed quality relationships and sexuality education, including consent, was best delivered by teachers who knew their students well. It supported the use of "curriculum-aligned external providers" to enhance health education programmes.
External professional support for teachers around relationships and sexuality education included Family Planning, InsideOUT, Keeping Ourselves Safe (NZ Police), Loves-Me-Not (NZ police) and the New Zealand Health Education Association.
WHERE TO GET HELP:
NZ Police Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support (Bay of Plenty) 0800 227 233 Victim Support 0800 842 846 Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00 Rape Prevention Education Empowerment Trust HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): be 04 801 6655 - 0 Safe to talk: a 24/7 confidential helpline for survivors, support people and those with harmful sexual behaviour: 0800044334. Mosaic - Tiaki Tangata Peer support for males who have experienced trauma and sexual abuse: 0800 94 22 94 If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
