Starting this September and running through June, The Unitarian Universalists of Wellesley (known locally as UU Wellesley) will offer Our Whole Lives (OWL) classes free of charge to youth in grades 7-9. The classes will be held approximately twice monthly on Sunday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. and will be facilitated by trained volunteers from the community.
In the age of the #MeToo movement, growing visibility around gender and orientation rights and the onslaught of sensationalized messaging reaching teenagers through social media, it's important to provide teens with a safe space to thoughtfully evaluate and discuss topics that are sometimes missing from or covered with limited time in the sexuality education presented in our schools. The Our Whole Lives curriculum helps teens learn about healthy relationships, feel good about themselves and learn how to both recognize and avoid perpetuating harassment. The smaller group size, as compared to school classes, fosters a greater depth of discussion.
OWL program was originally developed in cooperation between the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. It is not, however, a faith-based program, and so is appropriate for teens of any religious or non-religious background.
Classes will be held at UU Wellesley, 309 Washington Street, Wellesley Hills. For more information about The OWL Program, call the church office at (781-235-7423) or email info@uuwellesley.org. Parents and guardians are urged to view the full class schedule and complete the registration form at http://www.uuwellesley.org/our-whole-lives-program by September 10 to reserve a spot for their teens.
