At Siena College, we are committed to continuing to provide Respectful Relationships education across all year levels. As a core component to the Victorian Curriculum, one of our College priorities this year is to establish our whole school approach to Respectful Relationships education.

By using a social emotional learning framework across eight different domains, the Respectful Relationships curriculum develops personal and social capabilities including self-awareness and management, social awareness and management, resilience, coping strategies and help seeking behaviours.

The Respectful Relationships education includes the following key topics:

1. Emotional literacy
2. Personal strengths
3. Positive coping
4. Problem solving
5. Stress management
6. Help seeking
7. Gender and identity
8. Positive gender relationships

Respectful Relationships education focuses on building and promoting gender equity in relationships and the challenging of gender stereotypes. Respectful Relationships education is also about tackling family violence. Embedding respectful relationships education in school settings provides a platform for students to explore attitudes about gender roles, expectations and stereotypes as key drivers of family violence and through education, positive change can occur.

A key component of our approach to Respectful Relationships at Siena College will be to engage and promote student voice. I am pleased to announce that we have created a student Respectful Relationships team that will have the opportunity to work alongside members of the College staff team as well. This collaborative approach will strengthen and support our current work and planning for the future.