Our brand new resource #AskTheAwkward has been developed in response to our ‘Digital Romance’ (2017) research project, which highlighted the experience of young people using online spaces to meet, flirt and start new relationships.
Young people told us that parents and carers can help them by having open conversations about relationships and building close bonds to create honest interactions.
However, starting conversations with children about topics such as online relationships and sex can be difficult for many parents and carers; and for some, online spaces may often feel like a different world. #AskTheAwkward has been created to provide parents and carers with the tools they need to confidently discuss these topics with their secondary aged children, whilst also highlighting the challenges young people can face online.
#AskTheAwkward aims to inform parents and carers all about online spaces and encourage open and honest relationships, so that young people can continue to make the most out of being online, more safely and with support.
#AskTheAwkward consists of the following brand new resources:
Three short films created in a social experiment style, with real parents and their children filmed to capture their reactions to a range of questions and topics relating to online relationships. The three films cover:
- Making connections
- Building trust
- Facing challenges
1) A parent and carers introduction to #AskingTheAwkward:
- Young people want their parents and carers to have everyday conversations with them about relationships. This introduction provides a guide to parents and carers on how to start having those awkward conversations with confidence.
2) A set of 9 help sheets:
- Our help sheets give essential information on nine key topics, to help parents and carers understand more on the themes raised in the films. They also provide links to further information and conversation starters to help them start conversations on each topic.
3) A facilitators guide:
- Workshops are a great way to introduce parents and carers to topics which they may find ‘awkward’, like relationships and sex. It gives them a space to consider how they can start conversations with their children and ask questions to improve their knowledge and build confidence. This guide has been created to provide professionals working with parents and carers with all the information they need to deliver independent #AskTheAwkward workshops.
How you can support parents and carers to #AskTheAwkward
- We’ve created a facilitators guide, with all the required resources, so that professionals working with parents and carers can deliver workshops to help parents overcome some of the awkwardness when it comes to discussing online relationships with their children.
- The facilitators guide includes all the information and guidance required to deliver a 2-2.5 hour workshop involving watching the 3 #AskTheAwkward films, group discussions and activities. An alternative introductory session is also available in the guide, which can be delivered in less than one hour.
- The workshops offer an excellent opportunity to start a conversation with parents and carers about the challenges risks young people face online in addition to strategies for keeping them safe safer online relationships and providing non-judgemental support. It creates a fun, safe and inclusive learning environment to help build trust and empathy, whilst also empowering them to start on-going conversations with their children.
Download our latest #AskTheAwkward resources here:
#AskTheAwkward (films and resources for parents and carers)
For more information on Thinkuknow’s offer to all professionals who work with children and young people, including training, guidance and education resources, visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals.