Mayor of London Sadiq Khan Launches Landmark Toolkit to Educate Primary School Children on Respectful Relationships…reports Asian Lite News
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan introduced a pioneering £1 million toolkit aimed at teaching children in primary schools across London about healthy and respectful relationships. This initiative is a significant part of the Mayor’s ongoing efforts to combat violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Developed by the educational organisation Tender, the toolkit engages young pupils, aged 9-11, through interactive workshops, drama, and classroom sessions to instill values of equality, kindness, and respect.
The mayor has communicated directly with all primary school headteachers in London, underscoring the importance of early education in combating harmful attitudes and behaviours. The Mayor emphasised that educating children about equality and respect from a young age is essential in building resilience against toxic influences, especially in the digital age where exposure to misogynistic content on social media is on the rise.
“It’s never too early to start educating young Londoners about the need to treat one another fairly and kindly,” said Khan. “This toolkit will empower the next generation to stand up to sexism and misogyny, ensuring that they are clear on what constitutes healthy, respectful relationships before encountering negative content online.”
Tender’s toolkit, funded by the Mayor’s office, is designed to provide primary school teachers with expert training and resources to deliver this crucial education. The initiative has already seen success through a pilot program and builds on ongoing work by the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit, which has reached over 15,200 young people with arts and drama-based healthy relationships sessions. Previous results indicate that 90% of participants gained a better understanding of healthy relationships, with 80% able to identify red flags.
Supporting this launch, broadcaster Ashley James, North London headteacher Emma, and students who participated in the workshops shared their positive experiences. Emma noted, “Thanks to the Mayor’s new toolkit, we now have expertly crafted tools to safely and confidently address topics like misogyny and sexism.”
This initiative is part of the Mayor’s broader £233 million investment to tackle violence against women and girls in London, focusing on education, prevention, and support for victims.
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