Relationship Spectrum

This lesson explores healthy relationships – specifically, consent and coercion, and gender-based violence. 

Learning intentions:

  • Understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviours
  • Understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships
  • Identify reasons why a person might stay in an unhealthy relationship
  • Know where to go for help and support

Digital Educator: Mei

  • 12-30 learners

    Class size

  • 10+

    Year Level

  • 45-60 minutes

    Course duration

  • One

    Student Handouts

    Preparing for the lesson

    Information
    Resources
    ACHPE Objectives
    UNESCO Objectives
    Safety & Wellbeing
    Sequence
    Extension

    In this Relationship Spectrum lesson students will explore the differences between healthy and unhealthy. 

    Students will work in small groups to sort relationship scenarios into healthy and unhealthy before discussing what changes could be made to the unhealthy scenarios to improve them. They will then watch a video from La Trobe University that highlights important elements in healthy relationships. The lesson finishes with students discussing help seeking and support for young people experiencing unhealthy relationships. 


    Each lesson ends with a consolidation activity, inviting students to list 1 thing they have learnt from the lesson, 1 thing they already knew, 1 piece of advice they would share with a friend, and 1 adult or organisation that would be helpful in relation to the lesson topic.  

    Facilitator Printouts

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    Student Printouts

    Additional Information

    Cool Not Cool Quiz

    That's Not Cool
    AC9HP10P03: Investigate how gender inequality and challenging assumptions about gender can prevent violence in relationships. 
    • Investigating and challenging attitudes that lead to people enacting, excusing, or condoning gender-based violence.  
    • Evaluating how gender equality can empower people to develop equal and respectful relationships.


    AC9HP10P04: Evaluate the influence of respect, empathy, power and coercion on establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.
    • Investigating the characteristics of positive, respectful relationships and the rights and ethical responsibilities of individuals in relationships.  
    • Investigating how the balance of power influences the nature of relationships and proposing actions that can be taken when a relationship is not respectful.  


    AC9HP10P08: Plan, rehearse and evaluate strategies for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk.
    • Understanding the factors that impact a person’s ability to seek, give or deny consent, including when there is an imbalance of power or coercion in the relationship.


    Key Concept 1: Relationships
    1.2 Friendship, Love and Romantic Relationships
    • Key Idea: Romantic relationships can be strongly affected by inequality and differences in power.
    • Key Idea: There are healthy and unhealthy sexual relationships.

    • Some students may feel particularly sensitive to some of the scenarios in this activity. For example, some scenario cards are explicit examples of abusive relationships. Remind students of where they can access further support in your school to talk about and/or process any feelings that may arise following these sessions.
    Ideally, you will have scope to deliver all of the lessons in your program. However we understand that many schools have limited capacity to do so. Should you find yourself having to implement part of this program, we have provided a suggested sequence of lessons within the broader skills and knowledge categories of relationship, consent, gender, and health & legal literacy. We recommend delivering at least one lesson from each category.

    1. Group Agreements & Pod Mapping should be the first lesson as per best practice.
    2. Sex, Ethics & Alcohol: Can They Mix? is better delivered later in the program when students are more familiar with the Respect Collective curriculum.

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