Children and Youth Programs

In January 2012 FUCV is pleased to be offering the award-winning program, 'Our Whole Lives Sexuality'(OWLS) Education for 12-14 year olds. Using a comprehensive approach, this program helps young people build healthy relationships and maintain sexual health. It addresses attitudes, values and feelings that the youth have about themselves as well as some social issues. The course is taught by a team of specially trained instructors and begins on Jan 9 and continues until June.

In order to build a trusting, safe environment for sharing, students make a commitment to being present for the whole time. Carpooling is an option to ease that commitment for parents.

An informational orientation session for parents will be held in November at the church. In the meantime, please visit the UUA OWL website for additional information here.

The Public Health Agency of Canada confirms that "sexual health is an often overlooked, yet vitally important aspect of an individual's sense of health and personal wellness." The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education (2008) promote a strong educational focus on healthy relationships. Our Whole Lives offers all of this and more. In keeping with the Canadian Guidelines, the OWL curriculum is sensitive to the diverse needs of individuals and maintains an open and non-discriminatory dialogue respecting individual beliefs. It is what experts, educators, parents and students want.

Although developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ, Our Whole Lives contains no religious references or doctrines.

For information or to register, contact Faye Mogensen at ccre@victoriaunitarian.ca.

Follow the dialogue at the OWL blog by clicking here.